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
Also consider buying staple items that stretch meals, such as rice and beans, or plan for 'one dish' meals that are filling, such as spaghetti and meat sauce, chili, soups, or casseroles.
—
Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
Leftover beans can become chili or enchiladas.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2025
Iterations of neighborhood groups over time have hosted bike rides, chili fun runs and other initiatives to bring people together on the Avenue, according to Jeremy Maggio, owner of Maggio's Wood Fired Pizza.
—Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 23 Oct. 2025
The Le Creuset sale includes cast iron grills, Dutch ovens for all your soup, stew, and chili needs, coffee mugs, and stoneware baking dishes.
—Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chili
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Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
Leftover beans can become chili or enchiladas.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2025
Iterations of neighborhood groups over time have hosted bike rides, chili fun runs and other initiatives to bring people together on the Avenue, according to Jeremy Maggio, owner of Maggio's Wood Fired Pizza.
—Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 23 Oct. 2025
The Le Creuset sale includes cast iron grills, Dutch ovens for all your soup, stew, and chili needs, coffee mugs, and stoneware baking dishes.
—Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chili
Cite this Entry
“Chili.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chili. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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