Chili
/ˈtʃɪli/noun
A spicy pepper or seasoning made from peppers, especially varieties of Capsicum.
Did you know?The English word comes through Spanish from Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, where the peppers were already a powerful food, medicine, and trade item long before Europe knew their fire.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian era
Nahuatl
chīlli
“The chili pepper; the hot fruit used as food and seasoning”
16th Century
Spanish
chile
“The chili pepper, borrowed from Nahuatl after contact in the Americas”
16th-17th Century
English
chili
“A chili pepper or seasoning made from chili peppers”
Modern English
English
chili
“A pepper, spice, or dish flavored with chili peppers”