bell pepper
bell pepper Lexical Profile
• noun
North American A large, bell-shaped sweet pepper of the species Capsicum annuum, characterized by its thick fleshy walls, crisp texture, and complete lack of capsaicin (pungency), typically eaten as a vegetable raw or cooked.
"She chopped a red bell pepper and added it to the stir-fry for a burst of color and sweetness."
Word Nuance & Usage
While standard in North America, this vegetable is typically referred to simply as a 'sweet pepper' or 'pepper' in British English, and as a 'capsicum' in Australian and New Zealand English.
Word Origin & Etymology
The term 'pepper' was applied by European colonizers to the Capsicum fruits of the Americas because their spicy flavor reminded them of black pepper (Piper nigrum). The 'bell' modifier was added later to describe the distinct, bell-like shape of this sweet, non-pungent cultivar.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.