chili
Americannoun
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chilies
plural
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Sometimes chile a hearty stew that is also used as a topping condiment on other dishes and has varied recipes and ingredients, with or without meat, ultimately derived from the Mexican-style chili con carne.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of chili
First recorded in 1655–65; from Mexican Spanish chile, from Nahuatl chīlli “chile pepper”
Explanation
A chili is a pungent, spicy pepper, and it's also the name of a delicious stew made of meat and beans that's flavored with chili powder. A chili, or chili pepper, is actually the berry of a Capsicum plant. Both fresh and dried chilis are used to add some heat and spice to all kinds of dishes, from Mexican mole to Indian curry and Thai stir-fry. They're also an important ingredient in chili con carne, the spicy stew whose name is often shortened to chili. The word derives from the Aztec chilli, "spicy pepper."
Vocabulary lists containing chili
Commonly Misspelled Words, List 2
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English Words Derived from Nahuatl
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The flavor is unmatched, but adding a little bit more oomph to it with aromatics, whatever protein you like and some chili oil can turn it into something special.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
The chili dog vendor, which has been at the corner of La Brea and Melrose for 80 years, is set to open its first location in Japan at the end of this year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
“They stop off at Pink’s and want to try a chili dog. It’s fascinating.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Serve them by the bowlful with cold drinks, or scatter them over tomato soup, chili, Caesar salad or roasted vegetables.
From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026
The chili was good but, he decided, after a couple of mouthfuls, not the best in the state.
From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman
Filipino laborers came to Mexico via colonialism, and adapted and adopted champoy with spices and chilies from Mexico to become chamoy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
An even older icon awaits at Phnom Penh, a 40-year-old Vietnamese-Cambodian restaurant where crowds eagerly wait their turn to try nearly-raw marinated butter beef and lotus root sautéed with chilies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 27, 2025
Day laborers sort red chilies that have been dried in the scorching sunshine of India’s Andhra Pradesh state.
From Science Magazine ● Nov. 26, 2024
In no particular order — Calabrian chilies, pickled onions and the freshest bread your local bakery can provide you with.
From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2024
Their faces gleamed with oil, and the chilies brought tears to their eyes.
From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer
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