capsicum

Wikispecies

Borrowed from New Latin capsicum, from Ancient Greek καψικός (kapsikós, “like a box”), from Latin capsa (“box”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈkæpsɪkəm/

• Audio (US):

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• Hyphenation: cap‧sic‧um

capsicum (plural capsicums or capsica)

2. Any of various tropical American plants, of the genus Capsicum, principally the species Capsicum annuum and Capsicum frutescens, that are cultivated as edible peppers.

   Synonym: pepper

   Hyponyms: (mild/nonspicy) sweet pepper, bell pepper; (hot/spicy) chili, chili pepper, hot pepper; cayenne pepper, jalapeño, ghost pepper; paprika

   2. (Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore) The non-spicy fruit of the above plants, such as the bell pepper.

      Synonym: sweet pepper

      Hyponym: bell pepper

      Coordinate terms: (hot/spicy) chili, chili pepper, hot pepper

      • 2004, Harold McGee, chapter 6, in On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen, Scribner, →ISBN:

        Celery is often combined with carrots and onions in gently fried aromatic base preparations for other dishes (French mirepoix, Italian soffritto, Spanish sofregit; in the Louisiana Cajun “trinity” of aromatics the carrots are replaced by green capsicums).