chic
/ʃik/
The French word chic means elegant or stylish.
chic is used to describe something or someone that possesses an elegant or stylish quality.
Meaning: elegant, stylish (adj)
Which one should you use?
While chic is a standard term, you can use Branché(e) to mean trendy or being in the know and Tendance to mean trendy. To express a higher degree of elegance, you might use Raffiné(e).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ʃik/.
Did you know?
- In a very informal context, C'est chic ! can be used sarcastically to mean 'how convenient' or 'how nice for you' when something is actually annoying.
- In French, you can use the expression rester chic to mean behaving with dignity or maintaining one's composure even in difficult situations.
- The word chic is thought to have roots in the German word Schick, which refers to an elegant appearance or tasteful presentation.
Examples in context
- Qu'as-tu contre le papier peint d'apprêt ? Ça a l'air chic !What have you got against woodchip wallpaper? It looks chic!This example shows how to use chic to comment on the appearance of something.Tatoeba #2021629 by sacredceltic, translation #8301161 by sundown
- Sa robe est très élégante.Her dress is very chic.
- Son costume est très élégant.His suit is very chic.
- Ce nouveau sac est vraiment chic.This new bag is really chic.
- Elle porte toujours des tenues très chic.She always wears very chic outfits.
Example conversation
Emma and Lucas are at a clothing store.
- EmmaRegarde cette robe, elle est très chic !Look at this dress, it is very chic!
- LucasOui, elle te va très bien, Emma.Yes, it suits you very well, Emma.
- EmmaTu penses que c'est trop chic pour moi ?Do you think it is too chic for me?
- LucasPas du tout, tu es magnifique.Not at all, you look magnificent.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chic” translations and entries chic, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chic, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
