chile

¹

[ chil-ee ]

noun

1. Also called chil·e pep·per,. the pod of any of several species of Capsicum, especially C. annuum longum: used in cooking for its pungent flavor.
2. chili ( def 1 ).

chile

²

[ chahyl ]

noun

1. a phonetic spelling of child, representing dialectal speech of the Southern United States or African American Vernacular English:

   Oh, chile, you do not want to test me!

Chile

³

[ chil-ee; Spanish chee-le ]

noun

1. a republic in southwestern South America, on the Pacific Coast. 286,396 square miles (741,765 square kilometers). : Santiago.

Chile

¹

/ ˈtʃɪlɪ /

noun

1. a republic in South America, on the Pacific, with a total length of about 4090 km (2650 miles) and an average width of only 177 km (110 miles): gained independence from Spain in 1818; the government of President Allende (elected 1970) attempted the implementation of Marxist policies within a democratic system until overthrown by a military coup (1973); democracy restored 1988. Chile consists chiefly of the Andes in the east, the Atacama Desert in the north, a central fertile region, and a huge S region of almost uninhabitable mountains, glaciers, fjords, and islands; an important producer of copper, iron ore, nitrates, etc. Language: Spanish. Religion: Roman Catholic majority. Currency: peso. Capital: Santiago. Pop: 17 216 945 (2013 est). Area: 756 945 sq km (292 256 sq miles)

chile

²

/ ˈtʃɪlɪ /

noun

1. a variant spelling of chilli

Chile

1. Republic in southern South America on the western slope of the Andes . Chile is a long, narrow strip of land bordered by Peru to the north, Bolivia and Argentina to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the south and west. Its capital and largest city is Santiago .

Notes

Pinochet suppressed human rights and political activity until he lost a plebiscite in 1988. A successor was chosen in free elections. In 1998, Pinochet was arrested in Great Britain on a Spanish warrant, but a court ruled him too ill to stand trial. He returned to Chile, where attempts to prosecute him continued.

In 1973, General Augusto Pinochet led a coup that overthrew President Salvador Allende , a Marxist.

Other Words From

• Chil·e·an [chil-, ey, -, uh, n], adjective noun
• pseu·do-Chil·e·an adjective noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of chile¹

First recorded in 1855–60; variant spelling of chili ( def )

Origin of chile²

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

Organic strawberries from Harry’s Berries are given a light dusting of California-grown guajillo chile, a squeeze of Key lime and a sprinkle of Big Sur sea salt before being slowly dehydrated.

From Los Angeles Times

The chile season, which lasts from late summer through the fall and envelops New Mexico in a haze of fragrant smoke from all the roasting, had begun a few weeks earlier.

From Los Angeles Times

She immediately earned accolades, and not just for beers with Mexican flavors — tamarind, Mexican chocolate, chile.

From Los Angeles Times

I ordered my regular: Double double animal-style, chopped chiles, grilled onions, mustard, with a strawberry milkshake.

From Los Angeles Times

Or you can grab a hemp-infused chile margarita by Aplos at the Dream Hotel in Hollywood that says it can “elevate mood, stimulate brain function and boost energy.”

From Los Angeles Times