paprika

Etymology

Borrowed from Hungarian paprika, from Serbo-Croatian pàprika, from pȁpar, from Proto-Slavic *pьpьrь, from Latin piper, from Ancient Greek πέπερι (péperi, “pepper”), from Indo-Aryan; compare Sanskrit पिप्पलि (pippali, “long pepper”). Akin to paprikash.

noun

1. (uncountable) Powdered spice made from dried and ground fruits of sweet pepper (bell pepper) or chili pepper (cultivars of Capsicum annuum), or mixtures of these (used especially in Hungarian cooking).
   California is taking the lead, producing a paprika that is more standardized and more uniformly available than the European growers offer. 1995, Jean Andrews, Peppers: The Domesticated Capsicums, page 73
2. (countable) A variety of the spice.
   Using the trio of paprikas gives more flavour than you'd get using a single paprika. 2011, Heidi Swan, Super Natural Evey Day
3. (countable, rare, commonly called "dried [bell/chilli] peppers" or "dried capsicums") A dried but not yet ground fruit of sweet pepper (bell pepper) or chili pepper sold for use as a spice.
   strings of red paprikas hang outside to dry in the autumn 2003, Jonathan Bousfield, Rough Guide to Croatia, page 123
4. A bright reddish orange colour resembling that of the ground spice.
   paprika:

adj

1. Of a bright reddish orange colour, like that of the dried paprika.