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 There's also a sense that patrons love items including the bacon chili cheese fries, made with the restaurant's dipper fries and beer cheese, chili, bacon, and shredded cheddar-jack cheese. Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 11 Mar. 2024 This diner − born in an old chili parlor − offers feel-good 'Ratatouille' moments. The Enquirer, 23 Feb. 2024 Heat up your Valentine's Day with Wingstop's Hot Honey dry rub wings, available for a limited time starting Feb. 14, delivering sweet flavors with a bold kick of cayenne pepper and ancho chili. Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024 There are columns of flavors listed beneath the meats: jerk, teriyaki, curry, lemon pepper, piña colada, blueberry with blue cheese, tequila chili lime, raspberry chipotle, Hawaiian. Danielle Dorsey, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2024 Additionally, soup, chili and hot dogs are on its menu, which also include shakes and different sundaes, such as the banana split and the turtle sundae. Cathy Kozlowicz, Journal Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2024 Add lentils, veggies, and chili crisp to the bowl and dress with your favorite vinaigrette. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2024 Chef Dipika Singh joins Rosenthal at his table for five-star comfort food, such as pao (a small roll made with potato), which is spiced with curry leaves, coriander, mustard seeds, turmeric and chili. Laura Manske, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Some of the flavors have a kick, like the chocolate chili or mango jalapeño, but the cinnamon wild berry has less spice. Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chili.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Spanish chile, from Nahuatl chīlli

First Known Use

1604, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of chili was in 1604

Dictionary Entries Near chili

Cite this Entry

“Chili.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chili. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

chili

noun
variants also chile or chilli
ˈchil-ē
plural chilies also chiles or chilis or chillies

Geographical Definition

Chili

geographical name

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

More from Merriam-Webster on chili

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