noun
chili
A hot pepper used to flavor food.
She slices a red chili to add heat to the soup.
Etymology
The Nahuatl word already names the pepper. English adopted the food name along with the use of these pungent peppers in cooking.
More examples
- The recipe calls for two fresh chilies.
- A dried chili hangs beside the garlic.
- He removes the chili's stem before chopping it.
Forms
chili · chilies · chilis
Similar words
- bell pepper
- A bell pepper is typically sweet and mild; chili usually denotes a hot pepper.