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

Start simple with soft sourdough and chili oil for dipping or tartare with crispy chips before diving into a cheesy smashburger or ribbons of pasta coated in a creamy mushroom-herb sauce. —Jennifer Stewart Kornegay, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2026

Bathed in garlic and dried chili peppers (and sometimes tossed with thin slices of pork belly for a non-vegetarian option), the dish’s signature is that the cabbage is hand-torn rather than knife-cut. —Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026

Rhoda makes her version of Singaporean chili crab, cooking the crabs in the broth and also adding some pickled crab meat. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026

On each table, sides of vinegar and chili oil are available to spice up dishes. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 7 Apr. 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