jalapeño

American  

[hah-luh-peyn-yoh, hah-lah-pe-nyaw] / ˌhɑ ləˈpeɪn yoʊ, ˌhɑ lɑˈpɛ nyɔ /

Or jalapeno

noun

plural

jalapeños

1. a hot green or orange-red chile pepper, the fruit of a variety of Capsicum annuum, used especially in Mexican cooking.

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jalapeño British  

/ dʒæləˈpiːnəʊ, xalaˈpenjo /

noun

1. Also: jalapeño pepper.  a very hot type of green chilli pepper, used esp in Mexican cookery

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Etymology

Origin of jalapeño

First recorded in 1935–40; from Mexican Spanish ( chile ) jalapeño “(chile of) Jalapa ”; see also chile ¹ ( def. )

Explanation

A jalapeno is a small hot pepper, and it's also the name of the plant that grows these peppers. To make salsa, you need tomatoes, jalapenos, and a few other ingredients. Most fans of Mexican food are familiar with green jalapenos, the usual stage at which they're picked. If you leave the peppers on the plant, however, the jalapenos eventually turn bright red. In English, the word is spelled either with or without the tilde accent over the n. This accent makes it clear that jalapeño is a Spanish word — and it means "of Jalapa," a place in Mexico known as the birthplace of the jalapeno.

Example Sentences

They find strawberry ice cream achingly banal and their recipe, called “Here’s Your Damned Strawberry Ice Cream,” is followed by one variation that incorporates jalapeño peppers, and a second involving Kalamata olives.

From Slate • Jul. 31, 2012

Related Words

• chili pepper
• hot pepper
• red pepper