As a noun, pepper usually means black pepper, a hot spice made from the dried berries of a tropical plant, or bell peppers, which are mild vegetables. As a verb, “to pepper” can mean to cover something with many small hits or to sprinkle it with small amounts of something.
“Pepper” comes from Old English *pipor*, from Latin *piper*, from Greek *peperi*, all from an older Indian word related to Sanskrit *pippalī*, meaning “long pepper.” The spice traveled far, and its name traveled with it.
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