Definition

1. Noun:
   • A fully ripened sweet red pepper; usually cooked: A pimento is a specific type of large, sweet, heart-shaped red pepper, often used cooked or preserved.
   • The plant bearing this fruit: A pimento is also the name of the plant that produces these large, mild, thick-walled, usually bell-shaped fruits, which are common salad peppers.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Fruit):
  • The recipe calls for one chopped pimento.
  • She stuffed the olives with pimento.
• Noun (Plant):
  • We grew pimentos in the garden this year.
  • The pimento is a variety of Capsicum annuum.

Advanced Usage

• "Pimento cheese": A Southern U.S. spread or dip made from shredded cheese, mayonnaise, and chopped pimentos.
  • They served pimento cheese sandwiches at the party.

Variants and Related Words

• Pimiento (n): An alternative spelling for pimento.
  • Pimiento is the Spanish word for pepper.
• Allspice (n): A different spice also sometimes called "pimento"; note this is a distinct plant () whose dried berries are used as a spice.
  • The recipe for Jamaican jerk chicken includes allspice (pimento berries).

Synonyms

• Sweet pepper: A general term for mild peppers, which includes pimentos.
• Capsicum: The botanical genus name for peppers, including pimentos.
• Cherry pepper: Sometimes used interchangeably, though cherry peppers are typically smaller and rounder.

Related Phrases

• "Stuffed with pimentos": A common phrase describing foods, especially olives or cheese, that have pimento pieces inside.
  • I prefer green olives stuffed with pimentos.

Related Idioms

(No common idioms are directly based on the word "pimento".)

Noun

1. fully ripened sweet red pepper; usually cooked
2. plant bearing large mild thick-walled usually bell-shaped fruits; the principal salad peppers