chic

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ʃik/ UK /ʃiːk/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
elegantly and stylishly fashionable

The boutique sold chic dresses to a wealthy clientele.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · elegantly and stylishly... stylish elegant fashionable smart modish sophisticated dapper

Opposites

dowdyfrumpyunfashionable tacky gauche

Word family

Derived forms chiclychicness

Related forms chichi

Simplified etymology

Chic entered English from French in the mid-19th century. The French word was probably borrowed from German Schick, meaning “skill.”

Etymology

From French chic ('stylishness, elegance'), of uncertain origin; possibly from German Schick ('skill, tact') or related to French chicane.

chic French

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# chic

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ʃik/
**IPA (UK):** /ʃiːk/

## Meanings
1. elegantly and stylishly fashionable

## Examples
- The boutique sold chic dresses to a wealthy clientele.

## Synonyms
- stylish
- elegant
- fashionable
- smart
- modish
- sophisticated
- dapper

## Antonyms
- dowdy
- frumpy
- unfashionable
- tacky
- gauche

## Derived Forms
- chicly
- chicness

## Related Forms
- chichi

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: chic

## Etymology
From French chic ('stylishness, elegance'), of uncertain origin; possibly from German Schick ('skill, tact') or related to French chicane.

## AI Etymology
Chic is from French chic ('stylishness, elegance'), of uncertain origin; possibly from German Schick ('skill, tact') or related to French chicane. Important recorded forms include chic (French). Its deeper history remains uncertain, with proposed links left as possibilities rather than a single settled derivation. The current sense covers elegantly and stylishly fashionable. The wider family includes derived forms such as chicly and chicness and related words such as chichi.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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