bell pepper: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal, culinary
Quick answer
What does “bell pepper” mean?
A sweet, hollow vegetable, typically green, red, or yellow, with a bell-like shape, eaten raw or cooked.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A sweet, hollow vegetable, typically green, red, or yellow, with a bell-like shape, eaten raw or cooked.
The plant, *Capsicum annuum*, which produces these fruits; a key ingredient in many cuisines, often used for flavour, colour, and texture.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term 'bell pepper' is used in American English. In British English, 'pepper' or 'capsicum' is common, though 'bell pepper' is understood. 'Red/green/yellow pepper' is frequent in the UK.
Connotations
In the US, it's a standard grocery item. In the UK, 'pepper' often defaults to this vegetable, but specifying the colour is common.
Frequency
Very frequent in US English. Common in UK English, but the simple term 'pepper' is more frequent.
Grammar
How to Use “bell pepper” in a Sentence
[verb] + bell pepper: chop, slice, roast, stuff, dice, sauté[adjective] + bell pepper: green, red, yellow, orange, chopped, roastedbell pepper + [noun]: bell pepper strips, bell pepper plant, bell pepper seedsVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bell pepper” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- Add the pepper strips.
- A pepper and onion mix.
American English
- Add the bell pepper strips.
- A bell pepper and onion mix.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in contexts of agriculture, import/export, grocery retail, and restaurant supply.
Academic
Used in botanical, nutritional, and culinary studies.
Everyday
Extremely common in recipes, shopping lists, and meal planning.
Technical
In botany: *Capsicum annuum* (Grossum Group). In food science: a source of Vitamin C and carotenoids.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “bell pepper”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “bell pepper”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bell pepper”
- Pronouncing it as 'bell pepper' with equal stress on both words (stress is on 'bell').
- Confusing it with chilli peppers.
- Using 'bell pepper' as a countable noun incorrectly (e.g., 'I need a bell peppers' should be 'I need bell peppers' or 'a bell pepper').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Botanically, it is a fruit (a berry), as it develops from the flower and contains seeds. However, in culinary and everyday contexts, it is treated and used as a vegetable.
The primary difference is the presence of capsaicin, the compound that creates heat. Bell peppers have a recessive gene that eliminates capsaicin, making them sweet. Chilli peppers contain varying levels of capsaicin, making them hot or spicy.
They are named for their distinctive shape, which resembles a bell—wide at the bottom, tapered at the top, and often with a blocky form.
Yes. Green peppers are harvested earlier and have a slightly bitter, grassy flavour. Red, yellow, and orange peppers are ripe versions of the green pepper; they are sweeter, fruitier, and more expensive due to the longer growing time.
A sweet, hollow vegetable, typically green, red, or yellow, with a bell-like shape, eaten raw or cooked.
Bell pepper is usually informal, culinary in register.
Bell pepper: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbel ˌpep.ər/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbel ˌpep.ɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to the phrase 'bell pepper'.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of its shape like a church BELL, and it's a PEPPER that's not spicy. A BELL that's a PEPPER.
Conceptual Metaphor
A colour box (red, green, yellow) for food; a hollow vessel to be stuffed; a sweet, crisp canvas for flavours.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT typically a characteristic of a bell pepper?