habanero

noun

ha·​ba·​ne·​ro ˌ(h)ä-bə-ˈn(y)er-ō 

variants or less commonly habañero

: a very hot roundish chili pepper (Capsicum chinense) that is usually orange when mature

Examples of habanero in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And the hottest of the bunch, the green, is a fiery combination of both jalapeños and green habaneros. — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026

Bright orange habanero peppers have more of a kick to them than jalapeños and are often used to make homemade salsa. — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 May 2026

For even more heat, swap out the pickled Fresnos for jarred habaneros, and increase the honey. — Amanda Stanfield, Southern Living, 22 June 2026

This sweet and spicy guacamole contains chunks of golden mango mixed with a combination of jalapeño peppers and habanero pepper purée, plus onion, red bell pepper, cilantro, and, of course, Hass variety avocados. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 23 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish (chile) habanero, literally, Havanan chili

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for habanero

• caballero
• mescalero
• aero
• faro
• garo
• marrow
• narrow
• pharaoh
• sparrow
• taro
• bolero
• bracero