ghost pepper
noun
variants
or less commonly ghost chili
plural ghost peppers also ghost chilis
: a small, extremely hot chili pepper of southern Asia that is a hybrid between two species (Capsicum chinensis and Capsicum frutescens)
… the aforementioned potstickers come with a lethal house-made sauce of habaneros and ghost peppers (I managed one tiny spoonful before my tongue went numb).—
Phil Vettel
Phil VettelGhost pepper, a name for the bhut jolokia grown mainly in northeast India, is so powerful that the Indian military announced earlier this year that it was going to "weaponize" the peppers for hand grenades.—Florence Fabricant
Florence Fabricantcalled also bhut jolokia
Examples of ghost pepper in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Ghost Pepper rub brings fiery Louisiana spices with ghost pepper heat, while Lemon Pepper offers a zesty, citrusy twist.
—Moná Thomas, People.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Though perfectly crispy, the chicken chain’s original wings were marinated in a ghost pepper seasoning blend before being hand-breaded and fried.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 18 Aug. 2025
Hooters Is The Place To Be With 15 signature sauces and six dry rubs, ranging from mild to fiery ghost pepper, there’s a wing flavor for everyone to enjoy.
—Ronny Maye, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
The restaurant is also bringing back its ghost pepper short rib taco and queso.
—Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
The Rooftop is an indoor-outdoor bar located on the 6th floor that offers thematic cocktails, like the Shark Bite (crafted from ghost pepper tequila, cucumber, watermelon, lime, and tajin).
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 9 Apr. 2025
The Gastonia Ghost Peppers unveiled their new bright-red, ghost pepper mascot, Peppy, yesterday, our news partners at WBTV reported.
—Alexandria Sands, Axios, 25 Mar. 2025
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Moná Thomas, People.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Though perfectly crispy, the chicken chain’s original wings were marinated in a ghost pepper seasoning blend before being hand-breaded and fried.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 18 Aug. 2025
Hooters Is The Place To Be With 15 signature sauces and six dry rubs, ranging from mild to fiery ghost pepper, there’s a wing flavor for everyone to enjoy.
—Ronny Maye, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
The restaurant is also bringing back its ghost pepper short rib taco and queso.
—Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
The Rooftop is an indoor-outdoor bar located on the 6th floor that offers thematic cocktails, like the Shark Bite (crafted from ghost pepper tequila, cucumber, watermelon, lime, and tajin).
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 9 Apr. 2025
The Gastonia Ghost Peppers unveiled their new bright-red, ghost pepper mascot, Peppy, yesterday, our news partners at WBTV reported.
—Alexandria Sands, Axios, 25 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ghost pepper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ghost%20pepper. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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