chic

chic — adjective

1. Smart and attractive in a way that follows current fashions and shows good taste

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

Smart and attractive in a way that follows current fashions and shows good taste — used to describe clothes, places, objects, or a person's look.

Example

Theo wore a chic black suit to the gallery opening in Milan.

Aiko picked a chic linen dress for her summer wedding reception.

collocation: chic + [dress/suit/outfit] for stylish clothing

Common collocations
  • chic outfit / dress / suit
  • chic restaurant / hotel / bar / café
  • chic interior / décor / design
  • chic neighbourhood
  • look / feel / seem chic
Synonyms
  • elegant

    More formal; suggests grace and refinement rather than trend-following

  • stylish

    Broader term; chic implies an understated, sophisticated stylishness

  • fashionable

    Emphasises alignment with current trends; chic adds a layer of taste

  • trendy

    More informal and fleeting; chic feels more timeless and curated

Antonyms
  • unfashionable

    Opposite in terms of trend-following

  • frumpy

    Describes a dull, old-fashioned appearance

Usage Note

Common in fashion, design, and lifestyle writing. The comparative 'chicer' and superlative 'chicest' are rare — 'more chic' and 'most chic' are preferred in formal and informal use alike.

Common Mistakes

She looks very chicly in that coat.
She looks very chic in that coat.
'chic' is an adjective; do not add -ly to form an adverb.
This dress is chicer than that one.
This dress is more chic than that one.
the comparative form 'chicer' is very rare; 'more chic' sounds more natural.

chic — noun

Word family

  • chicness
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe someone or something that looks good according to current tastes, but they differ in tone and scope. Stylish is the broadest and most neutral term — it simply means visually pleasing in a current way, with no extra nuance. Elegant shifts the focus from trendiness to grace and refinement; an outfit can be elegant without being especially modern. Fashionable centres on what is currently popular — it closely tracks the latest trends and can shift quickly. Chic occupies a middle ground: it is trend-aware but in an understated, curated way that suggests good taste rather than mere popularity. Trendy is the most informal and the most temporary — it describes something that is hot right now but likely to feel dated soon. For example, a guest at a party might look stylish in a well-cut blazer, elegant if the fabric and fit convey grace, fashionable if the cut matches this season's runways, chic if the whole look is simple and sophisticated, and trendy if it features a viral accessory that will be out of fashion next month.

elegant ↗stylish ↗fashionable ↗trendy ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

Phrases

  • effortless chic
  • Parisian chic
  • urban chic
  • modern chic
  • more chic
  • most chic

Etymology

German (possible)FrenchEnglish

Chic entered English from French in the mid-19th century. The French word chic meant 'stylish' or 'smart', and may trace further back to the German word Schick, meaning 'skill' or 'appropriateness'. Another theory connects it to the Old French chiche ('miserly, niggardly'), the idea being that someone who is careful and precise about small details develops a refined, elegant style. By the 20th century, chic was firmly established in English as a term for sophisticated, understated fashion sense.