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 ”; chile ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

The company launched limited-edition flavors such as pizza, garlic Parmesan and, recently, apple pie, and jalapeño and ranch as permanent additions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026

Continuing on the appetizers train, TJ’s Jalapeño & Cream Cheese Crispy Wontons are described as “a mix between a rangoon and jalapeño popper.”

From Salon • Aug. 7, 2025

The tomatoes were great this year — the cherry tomatoes were unbelievable — and we had great eggplants, bell peppers and jalapeño peppers.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 13, 2024

It is all about spice: a tart smack of mustard followed by the slow burn of a jalapeño pepper.

From New York Times • May 18, 2024

As much as he loved food from PJ’s, Chip wasn’t thinking about fried croaker and jalapeño hush puppies.

From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson

Related Words

• chili pepper
• hot pepper
• red pepper