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Glite Dictionary
Piper longum

Piper longum

9.6
A thin climbing tropical plant from the eastern Himalayas grown for its long pepper fruit used as a spice
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Piper longum
  • The spice Piper longum is often used in Indian cuisine.

Examples

  • Piper longum is valued in Ayurvedic medicine for its therapeutic properties.

  • Botanists discovered several specimens of Piper longum growing wild in the foothills.

  • The dried fruit of Piper longum is used as a spice known as long pepper.

  • Many chefs prefer using Piper longum for its unique flavor.

  • Piper longum is often used in traditional medicine for its various health benefits.

  • The chef added Piper longum to the dish for a unique spicy flavor.

  • Known for its use in Ayurvedic practices, Piper longum is a valued herb in many cultures.

Synonyms

long pepper
vsPiper longum
6.8

A long hot spice that comes from a climbing plant, like black pepper

has identical meaning but uses the formal botanical name

How Spicy

chili pepper
  • US
9 1.0
Piper longum
  • Specialized
9.6
black pepper
21 1.0
bell pepper
  • US
21 1.6

Surface Forms

Piper longum singular
Piper longums plural

Morphology

Piper + longum

This is a Linnaean binomial combining 'Piper' (the pepper genus) with the Latin adjective 'longum' (meaning 'long'), so a learner who knows the constituents can infer 'long pepper' — a pepper plant with long fruit. Scientific Latin names follow a compositional, cross-linguistic pattern rather than idiomatic usage, making the meaning derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Piper longum comes from Latin: Piper means 'pepper' and longum means 'long'. The name fits because the plant makes a long, thin pepper fruit that people dry and use as a 'spice' and in traditional medicine.