chile

1 of 2

noun

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 2

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

Examples of chile in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Or the Chongqing wontons, plump with pork and served swimming in a bowl of hot broth spiked with enough chiles to turn the color scarlet. — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026

This recipe combines cilantro, mint, and just the right amount of heat from green chiles, creating a balance of spice and freshness. — Rachel Gurjar, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Oct. 2026

Mexican Potato Soup A favorite comfort food gets a bit of a kick with spicy chorizo sausage and chiles. — Hannah Agran, Midwest Living, 27 Oct. 2026

The addition of Kashmiri chile and jaggery adds spice and sweetness to match the menu of small plates at the Indian restaurant in Midtown. — Angela Hansberger, AJC.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Pronunciation Spelling

1839, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for chile

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

Geographical Definition

Chile

geographical name

Chi·​le ˈchē-(ˌ)lā  ˈchi-lē 

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)

Chilean

chə-ˈlā-ən  ˈchi-lē-ən 

adjective or noun