jalapeño

noun

ja·​la·​pe·​ño ˌhä-lə-ˈpā-(ˌ)nyō 

ˌha-,

-ˈpā-(ˌ)nō,

-ˈpē-(ˌ)nō 

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

Word History

Etymology

Mexican Spanish, from jalapeño, adjective, of Jalapa

First Known Use

1931, in the meaning defined above