pepper

Where does the word "pepper" come from? It comes from Sanskrit pippali, passing through Greek and Latin before entering English (medieval).

Pepper’s story begins in Sanskrit: pippali meant “pepper plant.” The name for the long pepper spice plant. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Greek as peperi. Greek traders bought it from India via the Red Sea; Alaric demanded pepper as ransom for Rome in 408. From there it passed into Latin as piper by ancient. Carried across the Roman spice trade. It reached English by medieval as pipor. Borrowed early into English from Latin. Today, pepper means a pungent spice made from the dried berries of a tropical vine.

1. Stage 1 · Sanskrit · ancient pippali "pepper plant", the name for the long pepper spice plant.
2. Stage 2 · Greek · ancient peperi "pepper", Greek traders bought it from India via the Red Sea; Alaric demanded pepper as ransom for Rome in 408.
3. Stage 3 · Latin · ancient piper "pepper", carried across the Roman spice trade.
4. Stage 4 · Old English · medieval pipor "pepper", borrowed early into English from Latin.