Meaning & use
serrano
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Meanings
nouncountable
A small, thin, hot green or red chili pepper often used in Mexican cooking.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a serrano' or 'three serranos'.
Patterns
- a serrano pepper
- serrano chilies
Add one chopped serrano to the salsa for extra heat.
Serranos are hotter than jalapeños but not as hot as habaneros.
She grew serranos in her garden and used them in many dishes.
adjectivebefore a noun
Relating to a type of small, hot chili pepper.
Grammar: Used before a noun, as in 'serrano pepper' or 'serrano chili'.
Patterns
- serrano pepper
- serrano chili
The recipe calls for two serrano peppers, finely diced.
I bought a jar of serrano salsa at the market.
Serrano chilies add a bright, sharp heat to guacamole.
Word forms
| plural | serranos |
|---|
Common combinations
- serrano pepper
- Roast the serrano peppers before adding them to the sauce.
- serrano chili
- Serrano chilies are common in fresh salsas.
- fresh serrano
- Garnish with a slice of fresh serrano.
- chopped serrano
- Sprinkle chopped serrano over the tacos.
Synonyms and how they differ
- jalapeño
- A similar but usually milder and thicker chili pepper.
Commonly confused: serrano or Serrano?
serrano vs Serrano
As a proper noun, 'Serrano' can be a Spanish surname or refer to a type of cured ham (jamón serrano). The chili pepper sense is written in lowercase.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'serrano' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Serrano peppers are known for their heat (spiciness), not sweetness, sourness, or bitterness. The other options describe flavors that do not match the pepper's characteristic taste.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “serrano”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.