chic
Americanadjective
noun
-
style and elegance, especially in dress.
Paris clothes have such chic.
-
stylishness; modishness.
the chic of the firstnighters.
-
casual and understated style, as in dress or décor, that expresses a specified trendy lifestyle or activity.
Black-rimmed glasses bring some geek chic to your outfit.
adjective
noun
-
stylishness, esp in dress; modishness; fashionable good taste
-
any of various fashion movements based on a particular lifestyle
radical chic
geek chic
Pronunciation
The spelling pronunciation is considered nonstandard except when used facetiously.
Other Word Forms
- chicly adverb
- chicness noun
- superchic adjective
- ultrachic adjective
Etymology
Origin of chic
1855–60; < French < German Schick skill
Explanation
Something that's chic is fashionable or stylish. If you see a chic outfit in the window of a chic boutique, you might imagine that buying it will make you as chic as a fashion model. Chic can also be used as an noun to mean a specific type of stylishness or coolness, like a downtown urban chic (skinny jeans, perhaps), or nerdy chic (big glasses). Chic is a French word, so remember, whether it's an adjective or a noun, to pronounce it as “sheek” and not “chick,” so you can sound as chic as you look!
Vocabulary lists containing chic
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
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English Words Derived from French, List 5
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Lucky Broken Girl
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She casts her eyes across this leafy street in central Tehran, which sits midway between the affluent north with its glittering shops and chic cafes, and the poorer, more conservative south.
From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026
The chic bathroom is the definition of luxury as it comes complete with a large soaking tub and a glass shower.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026
Gone is the film that stood out from a crowd of summer blockbusters with its smart script and chic sensibilities.
From Salon • Apr. 20, 2026
I was surprised not to find one in the chic TWA Hotel at JFK.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
“Trust is indeed something in these days. It is, perhaps, better to have a homely woman whom one can trust than a more chic maid—for example, some smart Parisienne.”
From "Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
