chic
/ʃiːk
/adjective (chicer, chicest)
Elegantly and stylishly fashionable: she looked every inch the chic Frenchwoman...
- The management of this chic Fifth Avenue fashion store had dared to rearrange the artist's installation.
- No other country in the world, they say, has such a dazzling array of chic fashion on offer.
- The classy curls, gels, trendy perms, and chic colours have not seemed to inspire us!
Synonyms
stylish, smart, elegant, sophisticated, dapper, debonair, dashing, trim, tasteful, understated, attractive, flattering;
fashionable, high-fashion, modish, voguish, in vogue, up to date, up to the minute, ultra-modern, contemporary;
French à la mode
informal trendy, with it, now, sharp, snappy, snazzy, natty, dressy, swish
North American informal fly, spiffy, sassy, kicky, tony, stylin'
US informal on fleek
archaic trig
noun [mass noun]
Stylishness and elegance, typically of a specified kind: the hotel’s lobby and restaurant are the height of designer chic...
- His clothes are an example of how young designers emphasize chic yet maintain an urban sensibility.
- It is a deliberate attempt to be different, a blatant statement that the cars are for the discerning driver who loves designer chic.
- Suddenly, he's the older man and those grey hairs speak years, rather than designer chic.
Derivatives
chicly
- He is fantastic, and his cautionary sentiments about war are warmly supported by the newly and chicly democratic audience.
- Seen in profile, the self-possessed Peter gazes contemplatively to her right, while the self-portrayed Brooks stares out with steely eyes hooded by the shadows of an imposing, chicly butch hat.
- Underwear with suspender elastic hanging off may have looked chicly fetishistic on the women but positively frightful on the men.
chicness
- Perhaps the booze run devalued French chicness, replacing it with French cheapness.
- Doesn't ‘Biore’ sound like it should be an adjective indicating chicness?
Origin
Mid 19th century: from French, probably from German Schick 'skill'.
Adopted from French, chic ‘elegantly fashionable’ is probably from German Schick ‘skill’.