chili

American  

[chil-ee] / ˈtʃɪl i /

especially British, chilli

noun

plural

chilies

1. 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.

2. chili con carne.

3. chile.

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Etymology

Origin of chili

First recorded in 1655–65; from Mexican Spanish chile, from Nahuatl chīlli “chile pepper”

Example Sentences

I had the kombu-cured Japanese hamachi with navel orange, capers, chili, and kohlrabi—bright, balanced, and just a little spicy.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

Certainly not for Angelenos, who know what defines their metropolis culinarily, from pupusas to Tommy’s chili burgers, from Persian food in West L.A. to regional Chinese cuisine in the San Gabriel Valley.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

People are not going to start quickly pickling onions and making chili jams, but they will grab an exciting bottle of mayonnaise and let it do the heavy lifting.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026

To cope with the relentless cold, I’ve been living off frozen meals, namely Trader Joe’s cheese-filled eggplant pasta, and home-cooked slow-cooker chili, baked gnocchi and chicken noodle soup.

From Salon • Feb. 7, 2026

To the right they passed patches of mangrove forest and small parcels of land, rice paddies, and chili pepper fields.

From "Tiger Boy" by Mitali Perkins