The name of Chile is of doubtful origin. During the Inca epoch it was
called Tilli, that being the name of a powerful and popular Araucanian
chief. It was pronounced “tele,” which translated means enemy. From
changes in the pronunciation, the word was finally converted into
Chile. Some authorities say that the name is derived from the Indian
word “Tchile,” or “Techile,” which signifies cold, having direct
reference to the snows of the Cordilleras, or the glaciers of the far
south.