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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Originally from Mississippi, Ratliff is infusing some Southern flair into the shop with new menu items like red beans and rice, Texas-style chili, organic non-GMO grits, collard greens, and sandwich offerings like rotisserie smoked chicken, pulled pork and Texas-style brisket. Sara Rosenthal, The Denver Post, 5 Nov. 2024 Use ground chicken in place of beef in recipes like chili, meatballs, and burgers. Jillian Kubala, Health, 4 Nov. 2024 Lentils can also replace meat in chili, tacos, and curries. 2. Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024 Launched by wife-and-husband team Janeen Mendoza Cruz and Rodrigo Cruz Ayala in 2020 based on a family recipe, this chili oil is available locally in just one shop — El Sereno Greengrocer on North Huntington Drive — but ships (for a $5 flat rate) once a week via UPS. Adam Tschorn, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for chili 

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 19 Nov. 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

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!