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 most popular recipes of March leaned into this period of transition, with cozy chilis, brothy soups, and veg-forward sides. —Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Mar. 2026

Some for the better, some just curious, some with a straight-up contempt for anything but the local chili flavors or hotpot broth. —Todd Williams, Baltimore Sun, 27 Mar. 2026

The secret ingredient in their chili is Greek spices and is an ode to the immigrants’ homeland. —Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 27 Mar. 2026

Here, it is fried with aromatics and crunchy garlic with chili oil and then tossed in lime juice. —Gretchen McKay, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 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