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

Starters such as King Salmon Crudo get an extra kick from the North African red chile pasta harissa, lime and sesame; Grilled Spanish Octopus from mint and aged Sherry; the popular Gem Lettuce Salad from Dill, Scallion, Cucumber and Sesame-Anchovy Vinaigrette. —Laurie Werner, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025

Stir in chicken, corn, green beans, green chiles, chile powder, salt, and pepper until evenly combined. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 24 Apr. 2025

Tacos and burritos are the typical asada, pastor, chorizo and green chile pork combinations, but there’s also red-chile chicken adobo. —Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2025

The group took those recipes, including Bustillos’s famous green chile, and created their own combinations of flavors and branding — and Bonfire Burritos was born. —Colin Wrenn, Denver Post, 22 Apr. 2025

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 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