pepperoni

noun

pep·​per·​o·​ni ˌpe-pə-ˈrō-nē How to pronounce pepperoni (audio)
: a highly seasoned beef and pork sausage

Examples of pepperoni in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Guests sit on a patio, or at The Congregation, munching on pizzas topped with olives, feta and zaatar, smoked chicken and buttermilk ranch or simple pepperoni. Lyndsay C. Green, Freep.com, 7 Aug. 2025 Use the shell as a cup and fill it with a mixture of olive oil, seasonings, squash strands, and pasta sauce, then top with pepperoni and cheese. Merve Ceylan, Health, 4 Aug. 2025 For lunch, the kiddos opted for the Margherita and pepperoni pizzas. Ronny Maye, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025 Brushed with garlic butter and topped with more pepperoni, herbs and Parmesan cheese. Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 9 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for pepperoni

Word History

Etymology

Italian peperoni cayenne peppers, plural of peperone, augmentative of pepe pepper, from Latin piper — more at pepper

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pepperoni was in 1888

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pepperoni.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pepperoni. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

pepperoni

noun
pep·​per·​o·​ni ˌpep-ə-ˈrō-nē How to pronounce pepperoni (audio)
: a highly seasoned beef and pork sausage

More from Merriam-Webster on pepperoni

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