Chico

¹ American  

[chee-koh] / ˈtʃi koʊ /

noun

1. a city in central California.

2. a male given name.

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chico ² American  

[chee-koh] / ˈtʃi koʊ /

noun

PLURAL

chicos

1. greasewood.

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chico ³ American  

[chee-koh] / ˈtʃi koʊ /

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.

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chico British  

/ ˈtʃiːkəʊ /

noun

1. another name for greasewood

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Etymology

Origin of chico¹

Short for chicalote ( def. )

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. ) )

Example Sentences

A favorite from a few years back: a heavy pour of local apple cider, the juice of a lemon, the juice of an orange, enough Topo Chico to make the punch bowl hiss, and citrus-herb ice cubes—twigs of rosemary, wheels of citrus, frozen in place like tiny stained-glass windows.

From Salon

Amy Gonzales, Cal Fresh director at Chico State, has repeatedly requested CalFresh participation data from her local social services department in Butte County.

From Los Angeles Times

If they had that data, she said, they wouldn’t deny Chico State’s access.

From Los Angeles Times

With access to data, Gonzales said, the CalFresh program at Chico State could improve its outreach initiatives.

From Los Angeles Times

At Chico State, she partners with some of the college’s academic programs and workplaces to find students eligible for CalFresh.

From Los Angeles Times