Peppercorn Rent
Preserved but no longer current.
A nominal rent. A pepper- berry is of no appreciable value, and given as rent is a simple acknowledgment that the tene- ment virtually belongs to the person by whom the peppercorn is given, though the freehold belongs to him who receives it.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Peppercorn Rent” mean?
A nominal rent. A pepper- berry is of no appreciable value, and given as rent is a simple acknowledgment that the tene- ment virtually belongs to the person by whom the peppercorn is given, though the freehold belongs to him who receives it.
Is “Peppercorn Rent” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.