chile

1 of 2

noun

variant spelling of chili

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

chile

2 of 2

pronunciation spelling

ˈchī(-ə)l 

—used for "child" chiefly in spoken African American English especially of the southern U.S. and in written representations of such speech

… sources close to the situation have said that the "Love on the Brain" singer is remaining in Barbados while awaiting the birth of her first chile, as Newsweek also notes.

—Shanelle Genai

—often used as an affectionate or friendly way of addressing someone

"Chile, no one looks great this early in the morning," [Debbie] Allen [actress] replied with a chuckle, thanking her.

—Tonja Renée Stidhum

The couple shared the amazing news on Instagram, and chile … that ring is everything!

—Jasmine Grant

[Nikole] Hannah-Jones [investigative journalist] decided the best response would be to quote King accurately by reading excerpts of his speeches without mentioning explicitly that they were his words. "And, whew, chile, it was AMAZING," she said.

—David Moye

Examples of chile in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The dish itself took shape in mid-20th-century roadside spots, where fresh local chiles were added to burgers already on the grill. —Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 30 May 2026

Aleppo-style pepper, Maras red pepper flakes, or other mild chile flakes, 2 Tbsp. —Kamal Mouzawak, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 May 2026

Finish with chile garlic oil and serve with charred lemon. —ABC News, 27 May 2026

This dip is peak summer, thanks to Old Bay seasoning, sweet corn, and roasted green chiles. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 23 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Pronunciation Spelling

1839, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for chile

• bacilli
• tranquilly
• billie
• billy
• chilli
• chilly
• dilly
• filly
• frilly
• gillie
• gilly
• hilly

Geographical Definition

Chile

geographical name

Chi·​le ˈchi-lē 

ˈchē-(ˌ)lā

long, narrow country of southwestern South America between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific; a republic whose capital is Santiago and whose legislative capital is Valparaíso area 291,933 square miles (756,102 square kilometers), population 17,925,000

Chilean

ˈchi-lē-ən 

chə-ˈlā-ən

adjective or noun