French word

poivre

Pronunciation

IPA/pwavʁ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounpepper

Example

Passe-moi le poivre, s'il te plaît.

Pass me the pepper, please.

Illustration for poivre (pepper)

More examples

Ajoute un peu de poivre moulu.

Add a little ground pepper.

Core concept

A small pepper berry, whole or ground, whose sharp warmth brings a dish into clearer focus.

Common phrases

  • poivre noir

    black pepper

  • poivre moulu

    ground pepper

Similar words

sel: A white, grain-like seasoning used to add saltiness to food.
poivron: A large, sweet pepper used raw or in cooked dishes.
piment: A chili fruit or powder used to add heat to food.
épice: A dried plant-based seasoning used to add aroma and flavor to food.

Definition in French

Épice issue des baies du poivrier, utilisée en petite quantité pour relever le goût des plats, la plus courante étant le poivre noir ou le poivre moulu.

Word origin

French poivre comes through Old French peivre from Latin piper, a word related to Greek peperi and Sanskrit pippali.

Usage tips

  • For an unspecified amount, French uses the partitive du poivre, while le poivre refers to pepper as a substance or type.

Related words

  • poivrerpepperverb
  • poivrépepperyadjective
  • poivrièrepepper shakernoun

Word lists with this word