pepper-upper

or pep·per up·per

[ pep-er-uhp-er ]

noun

, Informal.

1. something, as a food, beverage, or pill, that provides a quick but temporary period of energy and alertness.
2. something added to food to relieve blandness.
3. an experience that increases enthusiasm or zeal, as a pep talk.

Word History and Origins

Origin of pepper-upper¹

1935–40; pep up + -er ¹, suffixed pleonastically to both v. and particle

Example Sentences

Could a mouse-dissolving, toddler pepper-upper be the last, best hope for the GOP? @thelarrydoyle Doyle's latest book, Deliriously Happy and Other Bad Thoughts, was published in November 2011.

From Time

Lewis’s consecutive-starts streak ends at 57 today because of a toe injury, but the injury didn’t prevent him from giving his usual pregame pepper-upper speech.

From Washington Post

So, taking a hint from one of its old commercials, Dr Pepper has been looking for a friendly pepper-upper.

From Time Magazine Archive

And like Rose he grew wealthy with shrewd investments, a high salary and the willingness to endorse a variety store of products: cigars, cigarettes, overcoats, underwear, suspenders and a pepper-upper called Nuxated Iron.

From Time Magazine Archive