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
From the lobby to rooms, restaurants, and the rooftop, neutral backdrops are layered with metallic accents, and bold and energetic colors like emerald green, saffron yellow, fiery chili pepper red, and Mediterranean blue.
—
Elizabeth Brownfield, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Pepperoni cups, Mike’s Hot Honey, chili flakes, crumbled Romano cheese and mouthwatering housemade marinara sauce spooned over the top make the No. 1 ($20) a crowd favorite, with two crispy edges to each of the four fluffy slices.
—Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 21 Mar. 2025
Champions will also get to savor the flavor of Texas-style chili topped with Cheddar cheese and jalapeños, which is a slight change from Scheffler's 2023 soup course, chicken tortilla soup.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 19 Mar. 2025
The chili cook-off is from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and for $25, visitors can sample and vote for their favorite.
—Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chili
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Elizabeth Brownfield, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Pepperoni cups, Mike’s Hot Honey, chili flakes, crumbled Romano cheese and mouthwatering housemade marinara sauce spooned over the top make the No. 1 ($20) a crowd favorite, with two crispy edges to each of the four fluffy slices.
—Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 21 Mar. 2025
Champions will also get to savor the flavor of Texas-style chili topped with Cheddar cheese and jalapeños, which is a slight change from Scheffler's 2023 soup course, chicken tortilla soup.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 19 Mar. 2025
The chili cook-off is from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and for $25, visitors can sample and vote for their favorite.
—Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chili
Cite this Entry
“Chili.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chili. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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