French word

piment

Pronunciation

IPA/pimɑ̃/

Meaning

  • masculine nounchili pepper

Example

Je coupe le piment en petits morceaux.

I cut the chili pepper into small pieces.

Illustration for piment (chili pepper)

More examples

On ajoute du piment en poudre pour relever la sauce.

We add chili powder to give the sauce more flavor.

Core concept

A small hot pepper cut into pieces to add heat and flavor to a dish.

Common phrases

  • piment en poudre

    chili powder

  • piment rouge

    red chili pepper

  • piment fort

    hot chili pepper

Similar words

poivron: A thick-fleshed, sweet pepper used in stir-fries and salads.
chili: A very hot small pepper used to add heat directly to dishes.
poivre: A black, dried spice used whole or ground to add flavor.

Definition in French

Fruit comestible de plantes du genre Capsicum, de petite taille et de saveur piquante, employé pour relever les plats.

Word origin

French piment comes through Spanish pimiento from Latin pigmentum, a word associated with coloring matter and spices.

Usage tips

  • French piment normally refers to a hot pepper, while the mild sweet pepper is called a poivron.

Related words

  • pimentéspicyadjective
  • pimentermake spicyverb

Word lists with this word