Peppercress

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A fast-growing edible plant with spicy, mustard-like leaves used in salads and garnishes ; a member of the mustard family known for its peppery flavor and small, rounded leaves ; a leafy green herb characterized by its sharp taste and commonly found in temperate climates
2. A pungent herbaceous plant with bright green leaves utilized for culinary flavoring ; a spice-flavored salad green belonging to a group of pungent botanicals ; an herb distinguished by its crisp, pepper-infused leaves often cultivated in gardens
3. A crisp, green leafy plant prized for its hot, peppery taste in cooking ; a culinary herb with mustardy notes and small textured leaves ; a garden plant known for its spicy flavor that enhances dishes and salads

Etymology: Peppercress is a compound of "pepper" and "cress," and its history is plain. "Cress" comes from Old English "cresse," a name for leafy plants eaten raw, and the Old English word is itself of Germanic origin with no clear Latin or Greek source. "Pepper" came into English from Old English "pipor," borrowed from Latin "piper," which in turn came from Greek "peperi" and ultimately from a Sanskrit word for the peppercorn. The name was given to the plant for its sharp, hot taste, which is the same quality that gave the spice its name. Peppercress is a plant of the genus Lepidium, related to watercress and mustard, and its leaves carry the same sharp bite as the pepper they are named after. The compound follows a common English pattern of naming a plant by comparing its flavour to a better-known ingredient. The exact date of its first recorded use in English is uncertain, though the component words are both very old.

Synonyms: lepidium