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 2pronunciation spelling
—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 someoneShanelle Genai"Chile, no one looks great this early in the morning," [Debbie] Allen [actress] replied with a chuckle, thanking her. …—Tonja Renée Stidhum
Tonja Renée StidhumThe couple shared the amazing news on Instagram, and chile … that ring is everything! …—Jasmine Grant
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
David MoyeExamples of chile in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appétit, 28 Feb. 2025
Her lentils diavolo, which are essentially lentils simmered in an easy homemade chile oil with tomato, might be best eaten from a bowl in front of the TV.
—Kim Severson, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025
Once released from the pod, beans were separated from their pulpy outer coating, roasted, ground into a paste, mixed with water, sometimes flavored with chile peppers and honey, and served hot or cold.
—Kendra Nordin Beato, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Feb. 2025
Many versions burn with green chile, but this one is as tame as the mildest tomato salsa.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chile
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Two pantry staples—a buttery can of refried beans and smoky chipotle chiles in adobo—deliver extra bold flavor.
—Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appétit, 28 Feb. 2025
Her lentils diavolo, which are essentially lentils simmered in an easy homemade chile oil with tomato, might be best eaten from a bowl in front of the TV.
—Kim Severson, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025
Once released from the pod, beans were separated from their pulpy outer coating, roasted, ground into a paste, mixed with water, sometimes flavored with chile peppers and honey, and served hot or cold.
—Kendra Nordin Beato, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Feb. 2025
Many versions burn with green chile, but this one is as tame as the mildest tomato salsa.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chile
Cite this Entry
“Chile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chile. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationGeographical 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share