chia

American  

[chee-uh] / ˈtʃi ə /

noun

chias plural

1. a plant, Salvia columbariae, of the mint family, native to the southwestern U.S. and Mexico, having mostly basal, oblong leaves and small blue flowers: the seeds are used as food and as the source of a beverage.

2. any of several similar related plants.

3. a beverage brewed from the seeds of any of these plants.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• chias
  plural

Etymology

Origin of chia

1875–80; < Mexican Spanish chía < Nahuatl chiah, chian

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chia chias

Search for fibermaxxing on social media and you’ll see any number of recipes for chia pudding and bean salad, as well as influencers talking up the benefits of a high-fiber diet.

From MarketWatch ● May 10, 2026

In the wake of an anticipated fiber craze that is expected to trump last year’s protein-maxxing dietary fad, chia seeds have become all the rage.

From Salon ● Mar. 31, 2026

Today, yogurt still primarily exists as a sweet treat, typically enjoyed for breakfast alongside fruit and granola, on chia seed puddings, or as a healthy alternative to ice cream.

From Salon ● Mar. 28, 2026

Simple ways to get that in include eating a little over a cup of raspberries, 2 tablespoons of chia seeds, or two-thirds cup of black beans.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 25, 2026

Having learned that the phrase, "Taket chia biheu," meant, "How do you call that," he commenced compiling a dictionary.

From The Adventures of the Chevalier De La Salle and His Companions, in Their Explorations of the Prairies, Forests, Lakes, and Rivers, of the New World, and Their Interviews with the Savage Tribes, Two Hundred Years Ago by Abbott, John S. C. (John Stevens Cabot)

There it lay among the chias, and she picked it up and carried it to her room.

From The Penance of Magdalena & Other Tales of the California Missions by Chase, J. Smeaton

In Granada those tunics, which are called chias, are of black velvet, embroidered with gold or silver, and having a train of six or eight yards in length. 

From Roman Catholicism in Spain by Anonymous