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Definition of pepperoni

pepperoni

/ˌpɛpəˈroʊni/
pep · per · o · ni
Plural:pepperonis
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pepperoni Lexical Profile

pepperoni Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

North American A spicy Italian-American variety of salami usually made from cured pork and beef, seasoned with paprika or other chili peppers.

Example

"We ordered a large pizza topped with extra pepperoni and mushrooms."

2

North American A single thin slice of spicy cured sausage.

Example

"He picked the pepperonis off his slice because they were a bit too spicy for him."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for pepperoni

Word Nuance & Usage

In Italy, 'peperoni' refers to bell peppers, not meat; ordering a 'pepperoni pizza' there will result in a vegetarian pepper pizza rather than the spicy salami version expected in North America.

• Rhymes for pepperoni

• Nearby Words

peppermint
pepperminty
pepperoncini
pepperoni
pepperpot
peppershrike
pepperwood

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Italian 'peperoni', the plural of 'peperone' (bell pepper). The term was adapted in early 20th-century Italian-American butcher shops to describe the spicy sausage seasoned with ground peppers.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Pepperoni. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/pepperoni
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