variants or less commonly chile or chiefly British chilli
plural chilies also chiles or chilis or chiefly British chillies
1
a
or chili pepper : a hot pepper of any of a group of cultivars (Capsicum annuum annuum group longum) noted for their pungency
b
chiefly British chilli : a pepper whether hot or sweet
2
a
: a thick sauce of meat and chilies
liked to cover her spaghetti with red chili
b
: chili con carne
a bowl of chili
also : a similar dish made without beef
vegetarian chili
seafood chili

Examples of chili in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web From local chili pepper eating contests to restaurant walls of fame for those who finished extra hot dishes, people around the world have been daring each other to eat especially fiery foods, with some experts pointing to the internal rush of competition and risk-taking. Steve Leblanc, Fortune, 16 May 2024 Hot dogs made with chicken, turkey, pork, and dried chili peppers stuffed with cheddar cheese Jalapeño Cheddar Stuffed Dogs and Chili Cheese Stuffed Dogs use real jalapeño peppers and chilies to bring the heat. Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 14 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for chili 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chili.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Spanish chile, from Nahuatl chīlli

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of chili was in 1604

Dictionary Entries Near chili

Cite this Entry

“Chili.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chili. Accessed 23 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

chili

noun
variants also chile or chilli
ˈchil-ē
plural chilies also chiles or chilis or chillies

Geographical Definition

Chili

geographical name

former, especially British name for Chile or for the once poorly defined Andes border region between Chile and Argentina

More from Merriam-Webster on chili

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