noun
chili
CHIH-lee
noun
1
A hot-tasting pepper (fresh or dried) used to add spice to food.
"Add one chopped chili if you want the sauce hotter."
"The market sold red and green chilies side by side."
2
A thick, spicy stew usually made with meat or beans and chili peppers.
"We made a big pot of chili for the game."
How to Use Chili
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the hot pepper itself, or the stew named after it.
UK vs US
American English spells it "chili"; British English more often uses "chilli".
Common pairings
a bowl of chili
chili powder
chili pepper
Word Forms
chilis plural, chilies plural
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Add one chopped _____ if you want the sauce hotter.
Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish chile, which came from the Nahuatl word chīlli.