hot pepper

noun

: any of various small and usually thin-walled capsicum fruits of marked pungency
also : a plant (especially a variant or cultivar of Capsicum annuum and C. frutescens) bearing hot peppers

Examples of hot pepper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Pairing hot peppers with acidic ingredients, like lime juice or vinegar, or with dairy, can neutralize some of that jalapeño heat. Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Sep. 2024 Birds are immune to the damaging effects of capsaicin, found in hot peppers. Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 1 Oct. 2024 Hot Peppers Many commercial squirrel repellents rely on cayenne and other hot pepper powders to repel squirrels. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2024 Plant your own varieties of hot pepper plants and enjoy a squirrel-free summer and some tasty flavor enhancers for meals. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hot pepper 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hot pepper.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hot pepper was in 1945

Dictionary Entries Near hot pepper

Cite this Entry

“Hot pepper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hot%20pepper. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

hot pepper

noun
1
: an often thin-walled and small pepper with a sharp or biting taste
2
: a pepper plant of the nightshade family that bears hot peppers
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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