from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Caper \Ca"per\, n. [F. c[^a]pre, fr. L. capparis, Gr. ?; cf. Ar.
& Per. al-kabar.]
1. The pungent grayish green flower bud of the European and
Oriental caper ({Capparis spinosa}), much used for
pickles.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Bot.) A plant of the genus {Capparis}; -- called also
{caper bush}, {caper tree}.
[1913 Webster]
Note: The {Capparis spinosa} is a low prickly shrub of the
Mediterranean coasts, with trailing branches and
brilliant flowers; -- cultivated in the south of Europe
for its buds. The {Capparis sodada} is an almost
leafless spiny shrub of central Africa (Soudan),
Arabia, and southern India, with edible berries.
[1913 Webster]
{Bean caper}. See {Bran caper}, in the {Vocabulary}.
{Caper sauce}, a kind of sauce or catchup made of capers.
[1913 Webster]