Skip to main content
pepper shaker

pepper shaker

4 1.2
A small container with holes in the top for sprinkling ground pepper
  • noun
  • /ˈpɛpər ˈʃeɪkər/
translation icon : pimentero
  • The kitchen table had been set: salt and pepper shakers, a plate, glass, knife and fork, paper napkin.
  • salt and pepper shaker
  • glass pepper shaker
  • little pepper shaker

We now have cute little Arabic people as salt and pepper shakers that are going to be on our table for the rest of our lives.

Examples

  • They're salt and pepper shakers.

  • Where is the salt and pepper shaker for that leaf?

  • I got a pepper shaker.

  • Looks like a little pepper shaker.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • On the table, he sees a pepper shaker and a round box of salt.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Robert kept moving the salt and pepper shakers from square to square as he listened.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • The Fred's pepper shaker sat in front of him.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The salt and pepper shakers clattered.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • "Why, and for what reason?" He picked up the pepper shaker and duplicated what he'd done with the salt.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • On the dining table, there was a glass pepper shaker next to the salt container.

Synonyms

shaker
vspepper shaker
27 2.0

A small container you shake to add salt or mix drinks

is specific to seasoning with ground spice rather than many substances
pepper box
vspepper shaker
  • UK
1 2.3

A small container with holes in the top for sprinkling ground pepper on food

is the more common modern name for this same item
pepperbox
vspepper shaker
  • Archaic
3.5

A small container with holes on top for sprinkling pepper

is the general term used in everyday speech for this item
pepper pot
vspepper shaker
  • UK
1.4

A small container with holes for sprinkling pepper onto food

is the broader everyday term rather than this specific vessel name
caster
vspepper shaker
  • UK
8.1

A small container with holes for sprinkling sugar or spices

is focused on seasoning with ground spice rather than baking sugars

How Easy

pepper shaker
4 1.2
pepper pot
  • UK
1.4
sifter
3 2.8

Surface Forms

pepper shaker singular

Morphology

pepper + shaker

The meaning is directly compositional: 'pepper' (the spice) combined with 'shaker' (a perforated dispensing container) yields a container used to sprinkle pepper. This simple noun + noun compound follows a common cross-linguistic naming pattern and would be immediately understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Pepper shaker is a simple two-word name for a small container of ground pepper with a lid full of holes. The word shaker comes from the fact you 'shake' it so pepper falls onto your food, so it means the jar used to 'sprinkle' pepper.