jalapeño

noun

ja·​la·​pe·​ño ˌhä-lə-ˈpā-(ˌ)nyō 

ˌha-, 

-ˈpā-(ˌ)nō, 

-ˈpē-(ˌ)nō 

variants or less commonly jalapeno

plural jalapeños also jalapenos

: a small plump dark green chili pepper of Mexico and the southern U.S.

called also jalapeño pepper

Examples of jalapeño in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The corn relish is flavored with lime juice and jalapenos for an ideal kick. — Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2026

Readers love the bold combination of crispy potatoes, bacon, barbecue sauce, cheese, jalapeno peppers, and sour cream. — Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Aug. 2026

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Wednesday that the salmonella outbreak linked to consumption of certain kinds of jalapeno peppers has grown to 431 cases across 32 states. — Mira Bhakta, The Hill, 20 Aug. 2026

Recent food recalls on jalapenos and eggs have left consumers scrambling to check their refrigerators for affected items. — Kaitlyn McCormick, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Mexican Spanish, from jalapeño, adjective, of Jalapa

First Known Use

1931, in the meaning defined above