jalapeño

noun

ja·​la·​pe·​ño ˌhä-lə-ˈpā-(ˌ)nyō How to pronounce jalapeño (audio)
ˌha-,
-ˈpā-(ˌ)nō,
-ˈpē-(ˌ)nō How to pronounce jalapeño (audio)
variants or less commonly jalapeno
plural jalapeños also jalapenos
: a small plump dark green chili pepper of Mexico and the southern U.S.

called also jalapeño pepper

Examples of jalapeño in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web It is then served on a warm flour tortilla topped with cilantro, onions, and a sweet and savory salsa made with jalapenos and onions. Charlie Vargas, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Sep. 2023 Fall Harvest Salsa Made with butternut squash, pumpkin, apples and even jalapenos, Trader Joe’s fall harvest salsa gives an autumn twist on a snack staple. Antonia Debianchi, Peoplemag, 19 Sep. 2023 The restaurant, which has locations around the globe, is known for signature dishes like its miso black cod, yellowtail and jalapeno appetizer, and their take on spicy tuna with crispy rice. Antonia Debianchi, Peoplemag, 21 Oct. 2023 Most of a jalapeno’s heat comes from the seeds and whitish innards. Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 27 July 2023 Spice up the sauce with some jalapeno or grated fresh ginger. Patricia S York, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2023 In the kitchen, Medel chopped tomatoes, jalapeno and onion for huevos rancheros. Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2023 Customize flavor and heat simply by adjusting amount of sweet bells vs. hot jalapeno peppers. Rita Nader Heikenfeld, The Enquirer, 8 Sep. 2023 Top burgers with salty-sweet Bacon-and-Sweet Onion Jam. Punch up fruit jam or jelly with unexpected additions like jalapeno, rosemary, or mustard seeds. Patricia S York, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jalapeño.' 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

Mexican Spanish, from jalapeño, adjective, of Jalapa

First Known Use

1931, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of jalapeño was in 1931

Dictionary Entries Near jalapeño

Cite this Entry

“Jalapeño.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jalape%C3%B1o. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!