Piri

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of spicy red chili pepper commonly used in African and Portuguese cuisines; a small, fiery fruit that imparts heat and flavor to dishes; also a spicy sauce made from these peppers often served as a condiment
2. A hot chili variety originating from regions in Africa, prized for its sharp heat; a pungent pepper utilized to enhance food's taste; and a condiment crafted from these chilies that adds piquant seasoning
3. A small, intensely flavored pepper from Africa and Portugal known for its spicy kick; a fiery ingredient incorporated in cooking to elevate taste; and a zesty sauce prepared from the pepper to accompany meals

Etymology: The name comes from "pilipili," the Swahili word for pepper. That word goes back through Arabic "filfil" to Sanskrit "pippali," the name of long pepper, so a term that began in India reached East Africa along Indian Ocean trade routes. The doubled form "piri-piri" is the reduplication of that root. The chili itself is not native to Africa. It is a bird's eye chili from the Americas, which Portuguese traders brought to their African coastal settlements, where it was adopted and given a local name. The pepper and the sauce made from it came to be known by that name in Portuguese, so the word is African in its roots and Portuguese in its spelling.

Synonyms: pepper, chili, spice