cayenne pepper

noun

1

: a pungent condiment consisting of the ground dried fruits or seeds of hot peppers

2

: hot pepper

especially : any of several cultivated peppers of a variety (Capsicum annuum var. longum) with very long twisted pungent red fruits

3

: the fruit of a cayenne pepper

Examples of cayenne pepper in a Sentence

a dash of cayenne pepper

Recent Examples on the Web

Nearly all andouille available in America these days is Cajun-style andouille, which is made with pork butt (technically, the shoulder portion of the pig), pork fat, garlic, salt, and spicy seasonings like cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, chili powder, black pepper, and/or filé powder. —Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Apr. 2026

The nuggets are marinated in dill pickle juice and seasoned to perfection with a buttermilk-cayenne pepper mixture. —Phoebe Evans, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2026

Red dishes, made with cayenne pepper, are spicy. —Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026

On the side, there’s a cup of mushroom stock fortified with soy sauce, molasses, rosemary and a touch of cayenne pepper for dunking. —Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

by folk etymology from earlier cayan, ultimately modification of Tupi kɨʔɨ̃já, kɨʔɨ̃nʸá

First Known Use

1756, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cayenne pepper

• leper
• lepper
• stepper