pimento

Where does the word "pimento" come from? It comes from Latin pigmentum, passing through Spanish before entering English (1690s).

Pimento’s story begins in Latin: pigmentum meant “pigment, spice.” A pigment; later a spice. By 1500s, the word had taken hold in Spanish as pimiento. The name Spanish explorers gave to the Caribbean's peppers and to allspice. It reached English by 1690s as pimento. Jamaica's allspice trade used the name, which later passed to the sweet red pepper. Today, pimento means a sweet red pepper; allspice.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient pigmentum "pigment, spice", a pigment; later a spice.
2. Stage 2 · Spanish · 1500s pimiento "pepper", the name Spanish explorers gave to the Caribbean's peppers and to allspice.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1690s pimento "allspice; sweet pepper", Jamaica's allspice trade used the name, which later passed to the sweet red pepper.