chia

American  

[chee-uh] / ˈtʃi ə /

noun

• chias
  plural

1. a plant, Salvia columbariae, of the mint family, native to the southwestern U.S. and Mexico, having mostly basal, oblong leaves and small blue flowers: the seeds are used as food and as the source of a beverage.

2. any of several similar related plants.

3. a beverage brewed from the seeds of any of these plants.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• chias
  plural

Etymology

Origin of chia

1875–80; < Mexican Spanish chía < Nahuatl chiah, chian

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chia chias

Foods including avocado, quinoa, açaí, aguaymanto, chia, and pumpkin seeds were incorporated as locally accessible options.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 6, 2026

Search for fibermaxxing on social media and you’ll see any number of recipes for chia pudding and bean salad, as well as influencers talking up the benefits of a high-fiber diet.

From MarketWatch ● May 10, 2026

I’ve been on the hunt for similar chia seed-centric recipes that go beyond the basics, experimenting with flavors, preparations and presentations.

From Salon ● Mar. 31, 2026

Here are seven ways to spruce up your favorite chia seed recipes:

From Salon ● Mar. 31, 2026

There were delightful drinks too, from the manzanita and the chia.

From Her Father's Daughter by Gene Stratton-Porter

There it lay among the chias, and she picked it up and carried it to her room.

From The Penance of Magdalena & Other Tales of the California Missions by J. Smeaton Chase

In Granada those tunics, which are called chias, are of black velvet, embroidered with gold or silver, and having a train of six or eight yards in length. 

From Roman Catholicism in Spain by Anonymous