chili

noun

ˈchi-lē 

variants or less commonly chile or chiefly British chilli

plural chilies also chiles or chilis or chiefly British chillies

1

a

or chili pepper : a hot pepper of any of a group of cultivars (Capsicum annuum annuum group longum) noted for their pungency

b

chiefly British chilli : a pepper whether hot or sweet

2

a

: a thick sauce of meat and chilies

liked to cover her spaghetti with red chili

b

: chili con carne

a bowl of chili

also : a similar dish made without beef

vegetarian chili

seafood chili

Examples of chili in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The spectator spectacle comes with a limited‑run tasting menu featuring oysters with smoked chili, king crab gunkan, yellowtail tartare, duck salad, wagyu gyoza, a sushi platter, a Sea & Land platter and a soccer‑themed dessert. —Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026

The Rookie, for example, combines mezcal with amaro, grapefruit and Thai chili–a little sweet, a little sour, and beautifully balanced to complement all the food on the menu. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 June 2026

Throw some sweet chili glaze on your Brussels sprouts next Christmas and prepare to blow your grandmum's mind to smithereens. —Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2026

Lentils are sometimes used as a substitute for meat in chili, tacos, spaghetti sauce, and more. —Ashley Olivine, Verywell Health, 17 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Spanish chile, from Nahuatl chīlli

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing chili

• chili con carne
• chili con queso
• chili crisp
• chili dog
• chili powder
• chili sauce
• ghost chili

Rhymes for chili

• billie
• billy
• chilli
• chilly
• dilly
• filly
• frilly
• gillie
• gilly
• hilly
• lily
• philly

Kids Definition

chili

noun

variants also chile or chilli

ˈchil-ē

plural chilies also chiles or chilis or chillies

1

: hot pepper sense 1

2

: chili con carne

Geographical Definition

Chili

geographical name

ˈchi-lē 

—former, especially British name for Chile or for the once poorly defined Andes border region between Chile and Argentina