Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Chile” come from?

Chile (English) comes from Spanish chile, from Quechua chiri, from Mapudungun chilli — where the land ends; seagull Larus dominicanus.

Ancestry of “Chile”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Spanishchilechili, chilli, chile; penis
2Quechuachiricold; frost, cold; a "cold" temperature or...
3Mapudungunchilliwhere the land ends; seagull Larus dominicanus

Words derived from “Chile”

  • Chilean
  • Chileanize
  • Chileanness
  • Chileanism
  • চিলি
Every word from Mapudungun chilli →