chile

1 of 3

noun (1)

variant spelling of chili

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

chile

2 of 3

pronunciation spelling

ˈchī(-ə)l 

—used for "child" chiefly in spoken African American English especially of the southern U.S. and in written representations of such speech

… sources close to the situation have said that the "Love on the Brain" singer is remaining in Barbados while awaiting the birth of her first chile, as Newsweek also notes.

—Shanelle Genai

—often used as an affectionate or friendly way of addressing someone

"Chile, no one looks great this early in the morning," [Debbie] Allen [actress] replied with a chuckle, thanking her.

—Tonja Renée Stidhum

The couple shared the amazing news on Instagram, and chile … that ring is everything!

—Jasmine Grant

[Nikole] Hannah-Jones [investigative journalist] decided the best response would be to quote King accurately by reading excerpts of his speeches without mentioning explicitly that they were his words. "And, whew, chile, it was AMAZING," she said.

—David Moye

chili

3 of 3

noun (2)

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 chile in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Old-school Tex-Mex cantina known for fajitas, enchiladas, flautas, chile con queso and margaritas. —Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 June 2026

The cookies are finished with a sprinkle of chile-lime seasoning for just a touch of spice. —Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 June 2026

Noun

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

Spanish chile, from Nahuatl chīlli

First Known Use

Pronunciation Spelling

1839, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1604, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing chile

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

Rhymes for chile

• bacilli
• tranquilly
• billie
• billy
• chilli
• chilly
• dilly
• filly
• frilly
• gillie
• gilly
• hilly

Geographical Definition

Chile 1 of 2

geographical name (1)

Chi·​le ˈchi-lē 

ˈchē-(ˌ)lā

long, narrow country of southwestern South America between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific; a republic whose capital is Santiago and whose legislative capital is Valparaíso area 291,933 square miles (756,102 square kilometers), population 17,925,000

Chilean

ˈchi-lē-ən 

chə-ˈlā-ən

adjective or noun

Chili

2 of 2

geographical name (2)

ˈchi-lē 

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