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

chicos 

1. greasewood.

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

In assessing the community in 2008, the Chico Enterprise Record wrote: “Part of the reason Berry Creek residents choose to live where they do is because they are an independent lot, who rebel at being told what to do.”

From Los Angeles Times

What’s more, officials decided to spend affordable housing dollars that could have gone to building in Berry Creek down the hill in the cities of Oroville or Chico.

From Los Angeles Times

The problem was, people in Berry Creek didn’t want to live in Oroville or Chico, both of which many people referred to as “the city” and described as too urban for them.

From Los Angeles Times

Novak, the teacher’s aide who lost her home and rental properties, said she had relocated to Chico after the fire but “I was back up here in two weeks. I couldn’t live in Chico.”

From Los Angeles Times

Attracted by cheap land — lots cost less than a mid-range car— newcomers can build a larger home on larger parcels for less than buying a house in Chico, a city of 100,000 people 15 miles away.

From Los Angeles Times