capsicum
capsicum Lexical Profile
• noun
Australian The large, mild, and often sweet, hollow fruit of a capsicum plant, eaten as a vegetable either raw or cooked.
"She finely diced a red capsicum to add a crisp texture and vibrant color to the summer salad."
Any of various tropical American plants of the genus Capsicum within the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated globally for their varied, seed-bearing fruits which range from sweet to highly pungent.
"The botanist cataloged several wild varieties of capsicum growing in the foothills of the Andes."
A medicinal or culinary preparation made from the dried, pulverized fruits of pungent pepper varieties, often used as a topical analgesic or spice.
"The pharmacist recommended an ointment containing capsicum extract to help relieve her chronic muscle pain."
Word Nuance & Usage
In American English, this plant's fruit is commonly called a 'bell pepper' or 'pepper', whereas 'capsicum' is the standard everyday culinary term in Australian, New Zealand, and Indian English.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from modern Latin 'capsicum', likely from the Latin 'capsa' (meaning 'box', referencing the hollow, box-like shape of the fruit) or the Greek 'kaptein' (meaning 'to bite', referencing the pungent heat of the seeds).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.