salt-and-pepper

adjective

salt-and-pep·​per ˈsȯlt-ən(d)-ˈpe-pər 

: having black-and-white or dark and light color intermingled in small flecks

a salt-and-pepper suit

a salt-and-pepper beard

Examples of salt-and-pepper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the trailer, Depp showed off long, salt-and-pepper hair and a full beard-and-mustache combo. — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 24 Sep. 2026

Sporting a salt-and-pepper beard, Badio appeared frail during Monday’s proceedings, slouching to one side in his wheelchair. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026

Texas barbecue is typically defined by salt-and-pepper brisket and pork ribs, but this new crop of halal pitmasters is adding inventive twists, often based on their own family heritages. — Ulaa Kuziez, NPR, 6 Sep. 2026

The youngest, Viviana, aged her dad by an additional year, apropos for a season sprouting more gray in Espada’s salt-and-pepper beard. — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for salt-and-pepper

• leper
• lepper
• pepper
• stepper

Kids Definition

salt-and-pepper

adjective

: having dark and light color intermingled in small flecks

a salt-and-pepper beard