chili

American  

[chil-ee] / ˈtʃɪl i /

especially British, chilli

noun

chilies plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• chilies
  plural

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."

Example Sentences

But a nearly $11 billion bank deal last year has an added sticking point: chili recipes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 6, 2026

Spence’s first inkling that chili would be an issue came in his first town hall in Houston after the deal was announced.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 6, 2026

The connections with chili run deep at Fifth Third.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 6, 2026

The combination of spicy chili oil and sweet-savory tomato oil is wildly good.

From Salon • Jun. 11, 2026

Momma passes me the water jug because she can tell my face is getting all steamed up from the heat of the chili.

From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée