chili pepper
• noun
The pungent, fleshy fruit of various plants in the genus Capsicum, botanically a berry but culinarily used as a vegetable or dried spice to add heat and flavor to dishes.
"She carefully diced a fresh chili pepper and folded it into the mango salsa for an extra kick of heat."
Any bushy plant of the nightshade family (genus Capsicum) native to the Americas, cultivated agriculturally or domestically for its spicy, pod-like fruits.
"The horticulturist introduced a rare heirloom chili pepper into the greenhouse to study its tolerance to drought."
Word Nuance & Usage
The spelling varies by region: 'chili' is prevalent in the US, 'chilli' in the UK and Commonwealth, and 'chile' in Spanish-influenced areas like the American Southwest. Botanically, it is classified as a berry, though it is culinarily treated as a vegetable or spice.
• Nearby Words
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.