Blair P. Houghton > wrote:

> Chile: a pepper
> Chilli: alternate for chile
> Chili: meat and chile spice
> Chilly: colder than cool

So, does anyone know the derivation of the term? I mean,
I'm curious, did somebody ask, "Are those hot peppers?"
and just get a smartass answer that stuck, or is there
some other origin for the name? Is it an Anglicized version
of some word from another language? My dictionary suggests
it may come from Nahuatl.

Bill Ranck
Blacksburg, Va.