jalapeño

American  

[hah-luh-peyn-yoh, hah-lah-pe-nyaw] / ˌhɑ ləˈpeɪn yoʊ, ˌhɑ lɑˈpɛ nyɔ /

Or jalapeno

noun

plural

jalapeños

1. a hot green or orange-red chile pepper, the fruit of a variety of Capsicum annuum, used especially in Mexican cooking.

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jalapeño British  

/ dʒæləˈpiːnəʊ, xalaˈpenjo /

noun

1. Also: jalapeño pepper.  a very hot type of green chilli pepper, used esp in Mexican cookery

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Etymology

Origin of jalapeño

First recorded in 1935–40; from Mexican Spanish ( chile ) jalapeño “(chile of) Jalapa ”; chile ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

I ordered a fat carne asada burrito that came with two delicious salsas and a grilled jalapeño.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

A pizzeria near the airport features a pie named for Joe Biden, though Mr. Biden found the featured jalapeño too spicy when he tried it during a visit in 2023.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 27, 2025

If you’re feeling spicy, try leveling some lemon peels with jalapeños and sugar along with adding a jalapeño garnish and a Tajin rim around the glass.

From Salon • Aug. 29, 2025

It is all about spice: a tart smack of mustard followed by the slow burn of a jalapeño pepper.

From New York Times • May 18, 2024

As much as he loved food from PJ’s, Chip wasn’t thinking about fried croaker and jalapeño hush puppies.

From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson

Related Words

• chili pepper
• hot pepper
• red pepper