Variant: also chile or chil · li
Pronunciation: ' chi-l ē
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural chil · ies also chil · es or chilis or chil · lies
Etymology: Spanish chile, from Nahuatl ch ī lli
Date: 1604
1 a : a hot pepper of any of a group of cultivars ( Capsicum annuum annuum group longum ) noted for their pungency ― called also chili pepper b usually chilli plural chillies also chil · lis chiefly British : a pepper whether hot or sweet
2 a : a thick sauce of meat and chilies b : CHILI CON CARNE