Peppercorn vs. Pepper — What's the Difference?

The dried fruit of the Piper nigrum used as a spice.

Essential seasoning in cuisines worldwide.

Used whole or ground in culinary dishes for added flavor and texture.

A ground spice derived from dried peppercorns.

Available in several colors indicating different stages of ripeness.

Can refer to various ground spices with a spicy flavor.

Prized in various cuisines for its distinct taste.

Loses potency over time when pre-ground.

Known for its spicy and sometimes fruity flavor.

Used to add both heat and depth to dishes.

A preserved or dried green, white, or black berry of the pepper plant Piper nigrum.

A perennial climbing vine (Piper nigrum) native to India, widely cultivated for its long slender spikes of small fruit.

A dried fruit of any of various other plants, such as the pinkish-red fruit of the peppertree.

A pungent black or white spice produced from the dried fruit of this plant, used as a condiment.

The seeds of the plant Piper nigrum. Commonly used as a spice, usually but not always ground or crushed.

Any of several other plants of the genus Piper, such as cubeb, betel, and kava.

A small, insignificant quantity; a whit or jot.

Any of several tropical American, cultivated varieties of capsicum, having podlike, many-seeded, fruit.

A nominal consideration used to satisfy the requirements for the creation of a legal contract.

The podlike fruit of any of these plants, varying in size, shape, color, and degree of pungency, with the milder types including the bell pepper and pimiento, and the more pungent types including the habanero.

A dried berry of the black pepper (Piper nigrum).

Any of various condiments made from the more pungent varieties of capsicum, such as cayenne pepper, tabasco pepper, and chili. Also called hot pepper.

Anything insignificant; a particle.

Any of various other plants producing pungent fruits, such as the Szechuan pepper.

Pungent seasoning from the berry of the common pepper plant of East India; use whole or ground

(Baseball) A warm-up exercise in which players standing a short distance from a batter field the ball and toss it to the batter, who hits each toss back to the fielders. Also called pepper game.

To season or sprinkle with pepper.

To sprinkle liberally; scatter

To strew something over

To strike with small missiles or gunfire.

A plant of the family Piperaceae.

(uncountable) A spice prepared from the fermented, dried, unripe berries of this plant.

A bell pepper, a fruit of the capsicum plant: red, green, yellow or white, hollow and containing seeds, and in very spicy and mild varieties.Surely "pepper" covers all varieties as in most of this definition, while "bell pepper" and "capsicum" only refer to the large roundish mild varieties specifically

(baseball) A game used by baseball players to warm up where fielders standing close to a batter rapidly return the batted ball to be hit again

(cryptography) A randomly-generated value that is added to another value (such as a password) prior to hashing. Unlike a salt, a new one is generated for each value and it is held separately from the value.

(transitive) To add pepper to.

(transitive) To strike with something made up of small particles.

(transitive) To cover with lots of (something made up of small things).

(transitive) To add (something) at frequent intervals.

To beat or thrash.

A well-known, pungently aromatic condiment, the dried berry, either whole or powdered, of the Piper nigrum.

The plant which yields pepper, an East Indian woody climber (Piper nigrum), with ovate leaves and apetalous flowers in spikes opposite the leaves. The berries are red when ripe. Also, by extension, any one of the several hundred species of the genus Piper, widely dispersed throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the earth.

Any plant of the genus Capsicum (of the Solanaceae family, which are unrelated to Piper), and its fruit; red pepper; chili pepper; as, the bell pepper and the jalapeno pepper (both Capsicum annuum) and the habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense); . These contain varying levels of the substance capsaicin (C18H27O3N), which gives the peppers their hot taste. The habanero is about 25-50 times hotter than the jalapeno according to a scale developed by Wilbur Scoville in 1912. See also Capsicum and http://www.chili-pepper-plants.com/.

To sprinkle or season with pepper.

Figuratively: To shower shot or other missiles, or blows, upon; to pelt; to fill with shot, or cover with bruises or wounds; as, to pepper him with buckshot.

To fire numerous shots (at).

Climber having dark red berries (peppercorns) when fully ripe; southern India and Sri Lanka; naturalized in northern Burma and Assam

Any of various tropical plants of the genus Capsicum bearing peppers

Pungent seasoning from the berry of the common pepper plant of East India; use whole or ground

Sweet and hot varieties of fruits of plants of the genus Capsicum

Add pepper to;

Attack and bombard with or as if with missiles;

A peppercorn is the dried berry of the Piper nigrum plant, used as a spice.

Pepper usually refers to the ground form of peppercorns, offering a convenient and versatile spice, whereas peppercorns are the whole, dried berries.

Yes, whole peppercorns can be used in cooking to infuse dishes with their spicy flavor, especially in pickling and brining.

Yes, there are black, white, green, and red peppercorns, each with unique flavors and culinary uses.

Black pepper is made by grinding black peppercorns, so it's a specific type of pepper derived from peppercorns.

White pepper is made from fully ripened peppercorns with the outer skin removed, offering a milder flavor suitable for light-colored dishes.

Freshly ground peppercorns provide a more potent and nuanced flavor compared to pre-ground pepper, enhancing the taste of dishes.

Yes, different peppercorns can impart varying flavors, from the strong, spicy kick of black peppercorns to the mild, tangy taste of green peppercorns.

The climate, soil, and region where peppercorns are grown can influence their flavor profile, much like wine grapes.

Store peppercorns in a cool, dry place to retain their flavor longer. Ground pepper should be used more quickly as it loses its potency over time.

Yes, the term "pepper" can also refer to other spicy ground spices, such as chili pepper.

Green peppercorns are harvested before they mature and offer a fresher, milder flavor compared to the more pungent and spicy black peppercorns.

Recipes may specify a color to achieve a specific flavor balance, as each color of peppercorn offers a unique taste.

Yes, peppercorns are sometimes used in traditional medicine and rituals for their perceived health benefits.

Peppercorns, especially exotic varieties, can be more expensive than pre-ground pepper due to their freshness and flavor complexity.