cap·si·cum   (kāp'sĭ-kəm)    n.   Any of various tropical American pepper plants of the genus Capsicum, especially any of the numerous cultivated forms of the species C. annuum and C. frutescens. The fruit of any of these plants, especially the dried pungent types used as a condiment and in medicine. [New Latin Capsicum, genus name, perhaps from Latin capsa, box (from its podlike fruit).]

Capsicum

Cap"si*cum\ (k[a^]p"s[i^]*k[u^]m), n. [NL., fr. L. capsa box, chest.] (Bot.) A genus of plants of many species, producing capsules or dry berries of various forms, which have an exceedingly pungent, biting taste, and when ground form the red or Cayenne pepper of commerce. [1913 Webster]

Note: The most important species are Capsicum baccatum or bird pepper, C. fastigiatum or chili pepper, C. frutescens or spur pepper, and C. annuum or Guinea pepper, which includes the bell pepper and other common garden varieties. The fruit is much used, both in its green and ripe state, in pickles and in cookery. See Cayenne pepper. [1913 Webster]

Main Entry: cap·si·cum
Pronunciation: 'kap-si-k&m
Function: noun
1 capitalized : a genus of tropical herbs and shrubs ofthe nightshade family (Solanaceae) widely cultivated for their many-seeded usually fleshy-walled berries
2 : any plant of the genus Capsicum called also pepper
3 : the dried ripe fruit of some capsicums (as C. frutescens) used as a gastric and intestinal stimulant