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
On its food menu, Folsom Tap House is serving chili cheese dogs and nachos for $10, as well as chicken gumbo for $20, $1 wings, $5 Coors Light pints, $20 Coors Light pitchers and $6 well drinks or shots.
—
Marcus D. Smith, Sacramento Bee, 7 Feb. 2025
Capsaicin is a compound that gives chili peppers their spicy flavor.
—Amy Brownstein, Ms, Rdn, Verywell Health, 7 Feb. 2025
Nearly all the dishes are weeknight-friendly, and most utilize pantry staples like Dijon mustard, chili oil, tahini, and soy sauce.
—Wilder Davies, Bon Appétit, 30 Jan. 2025
Ají amarillo is chili pepper native to South America and has vibrant fruit notes reminiscent of passion fruit or a mango, along with a moderate dash of heat similar to cayenne pepper.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 28 Jan. 2025
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Marcus D. Smith, Sacramento Bee, 7 Feb. 2025
Capsaicin is a compound that gives chili peppers their spicy flavor.
—Amy Brownstein, Ms, Rdn, Verywell Health, 7 Feb. 2025
Nearly all the dishes are weeknight-friendly, and most utilize pantry staples like Dijon mustard, chili oil, tahini, and soy sauce.
—Wilder Davies, Bon Appétit, 30 Jan. 2025
Ají amarillo is chili pepper native to South America and has vibrant fruit notes reminiscent of passion fruit or a mango, along with a moderate dash of heat similar to cayenne pepper.
—Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 28 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for chili
Articles Related to chili
Dictionary Entries Near chili
Cite this Entry
“Chili.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chili. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
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