pepperoni

noun

pep·​per·​o·​ni ˌpe-pə-ˈrō-nē How to pronounce pepperoni (audio)
Synonyms of pepperoninext
: 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.
Salud is a brewery, and its cheese and pepperoni pizzas are merely very good. Peter St. Onge updated June 24, Charlotte Observer, 24 June 2026 Try the Miners Beach special, covered in pepperoni, sausage, jalapeños, ham, and pineapple. Robert Annis, Midwest Living, 21 June 2026 The event features unlimited pepperoni and cheese pizza, smashed burger sliders, crispy chicken bites, garlic butter pretzel sticks, fries and fruit, and winners can win free Dave & Buster's gameplay for a year. Finch Walker, USA Today, 15 June 2026 Its version is a blessed union of hot and pepper hams, Genoa salami, pepperoni, a thick ring of mild provolone, and an Amoroso’s roll. Adam Erace, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 June 2026 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 28 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

pepperoni

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

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