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.
Those looking for a more traditional pizza option will enjoy The Classic, a red sauce pie with mozzarella, Broadbent bacon crumble, and cupping pepperoni. Lennie Omalza, Louisville Courier Journal, 28 Oct. 2025 Kids can get cheese or pepperoni pizza, or penne pasta with meat or marinara sauce, with carrots, fruit and a drink. Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 28 Oct. 2025 Sabres goalie Alex Lyon had about as much chance of stopping the shot as an extra-large pepperoni and bacon stood of surviving a Friday night in the Kloke household. Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025 Some of those menu items include orange chicken with egg rolls, fish tacos, salads, wraps and a beef and turkey pepperoni pizza. Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 17 Oct. 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 1 Nov. 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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