Chile (Spanish)

Where does "Chile" come from?

The name 'Chile' originates from indigenous South American roots, though its exact etymological path remains a topic of debate. It likely stems either from the Quechua word 'chiri,' meaning 'cold,' or from the Mapudungun word 'chilli,' which refers to a specific type of seagull found in the region.

Full etymology tree

• Chile (Spanish), 'Chile (a country in South America)'
  • derived chiri (Quechua), 'cold'
  • derived chili (Quechua)
  • derived chilli (Mapudungun)

Ancestors

• chiri (Quechua)

Descendants and derived words

• chileno (Spanish)
• chileno (Spanish)
• ligtú de Chile (Spanish)
• somos el mejor país de Chile (Spanish)

Updated July 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris