chichi

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈʃiːʃiː/ UK /ˈʃiːʃiː/ See IPA manual

adj noun

Meanings

1

adj
pretentiously elegant or fashionable; affectedly stylish

They dined at a chichi little bistro with absurdly small portions.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · pretentiously elegant or... pretentiousfrillyfussy ostentatious affected showy precious

Opposites

plain simple understated unpretentious

Word family

Related forms chic

Etymology

From French chichi ('fuss, affectation'), a reduplicative formation suggesting affected fussiness, perhaps related to chic.

chichi French

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

# chichi

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** ˈʃiːʃiː
**IPA (UK):** ˈʃiːʃiː

## Meanings
1. pretentiously elegant or fashionable; affectedly stylish

## Examples
- They dined at a chichi little bistro with absurdly small portions.

## Synonyms
- pretentious
- frilly
- fussy
- ostentatious
- affected
- showy
- precious

## Antonyms
- plain
- simple
- understated
- unpretentious

## Related Forms
- chic

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: chichi

## Etymology
From French chichi ('fuss, affectation'), a reduplicative formation suggesting affected fussiness, perhaps related to chic.

## AI Etymology
Chichi is an adjective and noun meaning "pretentiously elegant or fashionable; affectedly stylish". Historically, it is from French chichi ('fuss, affectation'), a reduplicative formation suggesting affected fussiness, perhaps related to chic. The older history should therefore be treated cautiously rather than as settled. The historical chain is anchored in French chichi. A close English family member is chic. This keeps the modern adjective and noun sense tied to the older forms and language sequence behind it.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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chichi

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