[pep.per] n [ME peper, fr. OE pipor, fr. L piper, fr. Gk peperi] (bef. 12c) 1 a: either of two pungent products from the fruit of an East Indian plant that are used as a condiment, carminative, or stimulant: (1): black pepper (2): white pepper b: any of a genus (Piper of the family Piperaceae, the pepper family) of tropical mostly jointed climbing shrubs with aromatic leaves; esp: a woody vine (P. nigrum) with spicate flowers that is widely cultivated in the tropics for its red berries from which black pepper and white pepper are prepared
2. a: any of several products similar to pepper that are obtained from close relatives of the pepper plant b: any of various pungent condiments obtained from plants of other genera than that of the pepper 3 a: capsicum 1; esp: a New World capsicum (Capsicum annuum) whose fruits are hot peppers or sweet peppers b: the fruit of a pepper that is usu. red or yellow when ripe -- pepper adj
[2]pepper vt pep.pered ; pep.per.ing (1538) 1 a: to sprinkle, season, or cover with or as if with pepper b: to shower with or as if with shot or other missiles
2: to hit with rapid repeated blows
3: to sprinkle as if with pepper "~ed the report with statistics" -- pep.per.er n