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 2pronunciation spelling
—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 someoneShanelle Genai"Chile, no one looks great this early in the morning," [Debbie] Allen [actress] replied with a chuckle, thanking her. …—Tonja Renée Stidhum
Tonja Renée StidhumThe couple shared the amazing news on Instagram, and chile … that ring is everything! …—Jasmine Grant
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
David MoyeExamples of chile in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 June 2025
Amy Westerman's blog Food Adventures With Amy expanded the description: the chicken was cut into small cubes and the dish also included shiitake mushrooms, onions and black bean chile sauce.
—Kelly Brant, Arkansas Online, 17 June 2025
Stir in chiles, honey, garlic, oregano, and olive oil.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 May 2025
But since the annual harvest — and most of the state’s green chile festivals — don’t run until the July-October period, devotees have the option of picking up bushels of frozen, roasted green chiles that still spark dynamite flavors at backyard cookouts.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for chile
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Noun
Toast the chiles in a dry pan over medium-high heat, flipping once, until lightly blistered and fragrant but still pliable, a minute or so.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 June 2025
Amy Westerman's blog Food Adventures With Amy expanded the description: the chicken was cut into small cubes and the dish also included shiitake mushrooms, onions and black bean chile sauce.
—Kelly Brant, Arkansas Online, 17 June 2025
Stir in chiles, honey, garlic, oregano, and olive oil.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 May 2025
But since the annual harvest — and most of the state’s green chile festivals — don’t run until the July-October period, devotees have the option of picking up bushels of frozen, roasted green chiles that still spark dynamite flavors at backyard cookouts.
—John Wenzel, Denver Post, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for chile
Cite this Entry
“Chile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chile. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationGeographical 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
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