chili

Word family

• chilli
  nounB1
• chili pepper
  nounB1
• chili powder
  nounB1
• chili con carne
  nounB2
• chili bean
  nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All four terms can refer to the spicy fruit of Capsicum plants, but they differ in specificity. 'Chili' is the shortest, most everyday word for the pod itself — you buy 'a chili' at the store or chop 'chilies' for a stir-fry. 'Chili pepper' is slightly more explicit and botanical, useful when you need to distinguish the vegetable from the dish (e.g., 'the recipe calls for two chili peppers'). 'Hot pepper' is a broader category covering all spicy peppers (jalapeño, habanero, serrano) — it focuses on the heat rather than a specific variety. 'Red pepper' is ambiguous: it can mean a ripe red chili or the mild sweet bell pepper, so use it only when context makes the spicy meaning clear. For learners: stick with 'chili' for the pod and 'chili con carne' for the stew to avoid confusion.

Common collocations

Etymology

The word 'chili' comes from Spanish 'chile', which was borrowed from Nahuatl 'chīlli', the Aztec name for the pepper plant. Spanish explorers brought the word (and the plant) back to Europe in the 16th century, and it entered English through Spanish and Mexican cuisine. The double-L British spelling 'chilli' was adopted later to match other Spanish loanwords, while American English kept the single-L form closer to the original Spanish 'chile'.