pepperoncini
pepperoncini Lexical Profile
pepperoncini Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American The pickled preparation of these mild chili peppers, known for their tangy, slightly sweet, and mildly spicy flavor, commonly served with Mediterranean cuisine, salads, or pizza.
"The delivery guy always makes sure to include a single pickled pepperoncini in the corner of the pizza box."
North American A mild, yellowish-green variety of chili pepper (Capsicum annuum) that is typically harvested before fully ripening.
"She chopped fresh pepperoncini to add a mild crunch and subtle heat to the summer salad."
Word Nuance & Usage
Although 'pepperoncini' is technically a plural form in its native Italian (singular 'peperoncino'), it is commonly treated as both a singular and plural noun in North American English, sometimes taking the anglicized plural 'pepperoncinis'.
• Rhymes for pepperoncini
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Italian 'peperoncini', the plural of 'peperoncino' (chili pepper), which is a diminutive of 'peperone' (bell pepper), from 'pepe' (pepper), ultimately from Latin 'piper'. The English spelling added a second 'p' by influence of the English word 'pepper'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.