Main Entry:

cap·si·cum

Pronunciation:

\ˈkap-si-kəm\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

New Latin, perhaps from Latin capsa

Date:

1588

1 a: any of a genus (Capsicum) of tropical American herbs and shrubs of the nightshade family widely cultivated for their many-seeded usually fleshy-walled berries —called also pepper b: pepper 3b2: an oleoresin derived from the fruit of some capsicums that contains capsaicin and related compounds and is used medicinally especially as a topical pain reliever