chico

¹

[ chee-koh ]

noun

1. Informal. a boy or young man (often used as a nickname or form of address):

   Sorry, chico, but that’s not the killer argument you’d like to think it is!

   We hoped we looked like just a couple of laid-back chicos out for a stroll.

chico

²

[ chee-koh ]

noun

, plural chi·cos.

1. greasewood ( def 1 ).

Chico

³

[ chee-koh ]

noun

1. a city in central California.
2. a male given name.

chico

/ ˈtʃiːkəʊ /

noun

1. another name for greasewood

Word History and Origins

Origin of chico¹

First recorded in 1965–70; from Spanish: “boy,” of expressive origin, representing a common Romance stem found in words for small things; compare Latin ciccum “bagatelle, trifle, worthless object” ( chinchy ( def ) )

Origin of chico²

Short for chicalote ( def )

Example Sentences

To-Go Ware is a local company based in Chico, Calif. — D.V.

From Los Angeles Times

Its sister establishment, Club Chico in Montebello, is coming up on its 25th anniversary.

From Los Angeles Times

Cobra and Chico go-go dancers and others are appearing on a subscription stream with proceeds going to Team Cobra/Chico Relief Fund for Team Members.

From Los Angeles Times

Similarly, in a California State University–Chico study of relocations after the Camp Fire devastated Paradise, California, researchers found that the higher the survivors’ incomes, the more likely they were to have remained nearby.

From Slate

The Park fire, which grew to be the fourth-largest in California history, ignited on July 24 in Bidwell Park in Chico.

From Los Angeles Times