peppercorn
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See also: Peppercorn
English
Etymology
From Middle English peper corn, peper-corn, pepercorn, from Old English piporcorn (“peppercorn”), corresponding to pepper + corn. Compare Dutch peperkorrel (“peppercorn”), German Pfefferkorn (“peppercorn”), Danish peberkorn (“peppercorn”), Swedish pepparkorn (“peppercorn”), Icelandic piparkorn (“peppercorn”).
Pronunciation
Noun
peppercorn (plural peppercorns)
- The seeds of the plant Piper nigrum. Commonly used as a spice, usually but not always ground or crushed.
- A small, insignificant quantity; a whit or jot.
- 1961, Book Production Magazine, volumes 73-74, page 47:
- A 75 ¢ book must look 40 ¢ better to the distributor and wholesaler, because if one peppercorn of doubt that people will pay 75 ¢ for the book gets thrown into the distribution mill, the books may never leave their cartons […]
- (law, attributive) A nominal consideration used to satisfy the requirements for the creation of a legal contract.
Usage notes
The use of a peppercorn as consideration in legal contracts is commonly literal (even in the modern day)—frequently as a peppercorn rent—but it is invariably accompanied by a proviso that it need only be physically provided if actually demanded.
Derived terms
Translations
the seeds of the plant Piper nigrum
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Gallery
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young peppercorn -
Fruits of peppercorn -
Dried peppercorn -
varieties of peppercorn
