Meanings
- uncountableAchillea millefolium or common yarrow, a flowering plant native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
The leaves are pungent and were formerly mingled with colder herbs as a seasoning; Hence called “Old man’s pepper.”
1857 September, “Rambles around Bristol”, in Bristol Magazine and West of England Monthly Review, page 2481 more example
It’s foliage is slightly pungent, and hence its familiar name of Old Man’s Pepper. The Icelandic appellation of this plant, Vall humall, Field hop, seems to imply that it has been used instead of hops in that island, as it still is in some parts of Sweden.
1852, Anne Pratt, “Common yarrow or milfoil”, in Wild Flowers, Volume 1, page 79
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
Compound of old + man's + pepper, presumably so-called for its pungent flavor (see quotations below).
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
old man's pepper. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/old%20man's%20pepper
“old man's pepper.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/old%20man's%20pepper. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “old man's pepper,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/old%20man's%20pepper.
Source: old man's pepper on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.