Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Related Searches
Synonyms
Nearby Words

Peppering

 - 4 dictionary results

pep⋅per

  [pep-er]
Use Peppering in a Sentence
–noun
1. a pungent condiment obtained from various plants of the genus Piper, esp. from the dried berries, used whole or ground, of the tropical climbing shrub P. nigrum.
2. any plant of the genus Piper. Compare pepper family.
3. any of several plants of the genus Capsicum, esp. C. annuum, cultivated in many varieties, or C. frutescens.
4. the usually green or red fruit of any of these plants, ranging from mild to very pungent in flavor.
5. the pungent seeds of several varieties of C. annuum or C. frutescens, used ground or whole as a condiment.
6. Baseball. pepper game.
–verb (used with object)
7. to season with or as if with pepper.
8. to sprinkle or cover, as if with pepper; dot.
9. to sprinkle like pepper.
10. to hit with rapidly repeated short jabs.
11. to pelt with or as if with shot or missiles: They peppered the speaker with hard questions.
12. to discharge (shot or missiles) at something.
Origin:
bef. 1000; ME peper, piper, OE pipor (> ON pipari, piparr) < L piper < Gk péperi; cf. OFris piper, D peper, OHG pfeffar (G Pfeffer); these and OE pipor perh. < a common WGmc borrowing < L

Related forms:
pep⋅per⋅er, noun
pep⋅per⋅ish, adjective
pep⋅per⋅ish⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Peppering
pep·per   (pěp'ər)   
n.  

  1. Black pepper.

  2. Any of several plants of the genus Piper, as cubeb, betel, and kava.

    1. Any of several tropical American, cultivated forms of Capsicum frutescens or C. annuum, having podlike, many-seeded, variously colored berries.

    2. The podlike fruit of any of these plants, varying in size, shape, and degree of pungency, with the milder types including the bell pepper and pimiento, and the more pungent types including the cherry pepper.

  4. Any of various condiments made from the more pungent varieties of Capsicum frutescens, such as cayenne pepper, tabasco pepper, and chili. Also called hot pepper.

  5. Baseball A warm-up exercise in which players standing a short distance from a batter field the ball and toss it to the batter, who hits each toss back to the fielders. Also called pepper game.

tr.v.   pep·pered, pep·per·ing, pep·pers

  1. To season or sprinkle with pepper.

  2. To sprinkle liberally; dot.

  3. To shower with or as if with small missiles. See Synonyms at barrage2.

  4. To make (a speech, for example) lively and vivid with wit or invective.


[Middle English peper, from Old English pipor, from Latin piper, from Greek peperi, of Indic origin; akin to Prakrit pipparī, from Sanskrit pippalī, from pippalam, pipal.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

pepper 
O.E. pipor, from an early W.Gmc. borrowing of L. piper, from Gk. piperi, probably (via Persian) from Middle Indic pippari, from Skt. pippali "long pepper." The L. word is the source of Ger. Pfeffer, It. pepe, Fr. poivre, O.C.S. pipru, Lith. pipiras, O.Ir. piobhar, Welsh pybyr, etc. Application to fruits of the capsicum family (unrelated, originally native of tropical America) is 16c. The verb meaning "to sprinkle as with pepper" is from 1612. Peppermint is first attested 1696.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: pep·per
Pronunciation: 'pep-&r
Function: noun
1 : either of two pungent products from the fruit of an East Indian plant thatare used as a condiment, carminative, or stimulant: a : BLACK PEPPER b : WHITE PEPPER
2 : a woody vine of the genus Piper (P. nigrum) with ovate leaves and spicateflowers that is widely cultivated in the tropics for its red berries from which black pepper and white pepper are prepared
3 : CAPSICUM 2
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see Peppering on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way