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. )

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 order $18 mezcal cocktails infused with shiitake mushrooms, red onion and jalapeño herb oil.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

I ordered a fat carne asada burrito that came with two delicious salsas and a grilled jalapeño.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

Chili powders, red pepper flakes, chipotle in adobo, even jalapeño can all bring a slow-building warmth.

From Salon • Apr. 18, 2025

Baldi In the evening, we’d all jump into the car and head to Nobu because the boys love the yellowtail jalapeño.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 13, 2024

I ate jalapeño chiles with my sandwiches to give them flavor.

From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez

Related Words

• chili pepper
• hot pepper
• red pepper