chilli sauce: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Everyday, Culinary
Quick answer
What does “chilli sauce” mean?
A spicy condiment made from chilli peppers, vinegar, and other ingredients, used to add heat and flavour to food.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A spicy condiment made from chilli peppers, vinegar, and other ingredients, used to add heat and flavour to food.
A culinary term for any sauce whose primary flavouring and heat source is chilli peppers; often extended metaphorically to describe something that adds excitement, danger, or intensity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
UK: Typically spelled 'chilli sauce'. US: More commonly spelled 'chili sauce' or 'chile sauce'. The UK term is unambiguous; the US term can sometimes refer more broadly to sauces containing chilli powder or Tex-Mex style sauces.
Connotations
In the UK, it's often associated with Southeast Asian (e.g., Sriracha) or generic hot sauces. In the US, it can specifically connote Mexican/Tex-Mex cuisine (e.g., 'chili sauce' for hot dogs) or, with 'e', Southwestern US cuisine.
Frequency
High frequency in both varieties, but slightly more common in US English due to the prevalence of Mexican and Tex-Mex food culture.
Grammar
How to Use “chilli sauce” in a Sentence
[add/pour] chilli sauce [to/onto] NP[dip] NP [in] chilli sauceNP [with] chilli sauce[a bottle/dash/splash] of chilli sauceVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “chilli sauce” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He decided to chilli-sauce the entire batch of wings.
- I'm going to chilli-sauce my noodles.
American English
- She always chilisauces her burger.
- Let's chili sauce these fries.
adverb
British English
- He cooked the meat chilli-sauce-style.
- She ate it chilli-sauce-heavily.
American English
- Prepare it chili-sauce-style.
- He seasoned it chili-sauce-sparingly.
adjective
British English
- The chilli-sauce flavour was overwhelming.
- He preferred a chilli-sauce glaze.
American English
- It had a distinct chili-sauce taste.
- A chili-sauce base for the marinade.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in the food industry, import/export, or restaurant supply contexts.
Academic
Very rare outside of specific culinary or cultural studies.
Everyday
Very common in domestic, restaurant, and casual food discussions.
Technical
Used in food science (preservatives, Scoville scale for heat measurement) and culinary arts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “chilli sauce”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “chilli sauce”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “chilli sauce”
- Confusing 'chilli sauce' with 'chili con carne' (a stew). Spelling errors: 'chilly sauce' (incorrect, means cold), 'chile sauce' (acceptable in US for specific types). Incorrect plural: 'chillis sauces' (should be 'chilli sauces').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Hot sauce' is a broader hypernym for any spicy sauce. 'Chilli sauce' is a hyponym where chillies are the primary ingredient. Many hot sauces are chilli sauces, but some (like horseradish-based sauces) are not.
It is generally treated as uncountable when referring to the substance ('Add some chilli sauce'). It becomes countable when referring to types or bottles ('They sell three different chilli sauces', 'a chilli sauce').
Use 'chilli' for British English and Commonwealth countries. Use 'chili' for American English, especially when referring to the pepper or sauce. 'Chile' is also used in American English, often for the fresh pepper or in Southwestern contexts.
Yes, though it's not a fixed idiom. It can metaphorically mean something that adds excitement, danger, or provocative energy (e.g., 'The debate needed some chilli sauce to liven it up').
A spicy condiment made from chilli peppers, vinegar, and other ingredients, used to add heat and flavour to food.
Chilli sauce is usually everyday, culinary in register.
Chilli sauce: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtʃɪ.li sɔːs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtʃɪ.li sɑːs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Not commonly idiomatic. The phrase can be used figuratively: 'His speech was pure chilli sauce' meaning it was provocative or fiery.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of CHILLI making you CHILLY? No, the opposite! CHILLI sauce adds FIRE and heat to your food. Remember the double 'L' in the British version like two chilli peppers.
Conceptual Metaphor
INTENSITY IS HEAT / EXCITEMENT IS SPICE (e.g., 'Their new album needs more chilli sauce.').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the most common American English spelling?