chia

American  

[chee-uh] / ˈtʃi ə /

noun

1. a plant, Salvia columbariae, of the mint family, native to the southwestern U.S. and Mexico, having mostly basal, oblong leaves and small blue flowers: the seeds are used as food and as the source of a beverage.

2. any of several similar related plants.

3. a beverage brewed from the seeds of any of these plants.

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Etymology

Origin of chia

1875–80; < Mexican Spanish chía < Nahuatl chiah, chian

Example Sentences

Try making your nut butters from scratch before adding in the chia seeds.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

If you’re craving a bit of crunch on your freshly-baked muffins, skip the homemade streusel and sprinkle some chia seeds.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

Simple ways to get that in include eating a little over a cup of raspberries, 2 tablespoons of chia seeds, or two-thirds cup of black beans.

From Science Daily • Mar. 25, 2026

Videos of people sprinkling chia seeds on top of porridge and nutritionists lauding the benefits of red kidney beans and chickpeas are filling up people's TikTok feeds.

From BBC • Jan. 16, 2026

And contemptuously she tossed the candle aside into the chia bushes in the courtyard, where they talked in the shadow of the arches.

From The Penance of Magdalena & Other Tales of the California Missions by Chase, J. Smeaton