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

Examples of jalapeño in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Make your dessert fiery with the Firecracker Churros from Applishus with Lola’s jalapeno and habanero pepper spice sauce, honey molasses and sugar topped with an apple butter and cream cheese dip for $10. — Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register, 9 July 2026

For context, jalapenos typically measure between 2,500 and 8,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), the standard scale for measuring a pepper’s heat. — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 8 July 2026

There’s a bit of jalapeno heat, the lime is bright and the agave keeps sweetness in the right lane. — Angela Hansberger, AJC.com, 6 July 2026

The secret to these BBQ chicken sandwiches is a combination of pineapple and sliced jalapeno. — Kelsey Ogletree, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Mexican Spanish, from jalapeño, adjective, of Jalapa

First Known Use

1931, in the meaning defined above