chico

[ chee-koh ]

noun

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.

Origin of chico

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” (see chinchy )

See also chica (def. 1).

Other definitions for chico (2 of 3)

chico²

[ chee-koh ]

noun,plural chi·cos.

greasewood (def. 1).

Origin of chico

Short for chicalote

Other definitions for Chico (3 of 3)

Chico

[ chee-koh ]

noun

a city in central California.
a male given name.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use chico in a sentence

They were brave and loyal to the Republic, and the object of deep grudge to the Chicos, for they were Basques of the towns.
Romantic Spain | John Augustus O'Shea
Me volvi de esa con el cuidado de los chicos y en efecto parecia anunciarmelo apenas llegue cay en cama el mas pequeo.
Legends, Tales and Poems | Gustavo Adolfo Becquer
We learned from her that the season had been a good one for guanaco chicos.
Through the Heart of Patagonia | H. Hesketh Prichard
Por qu, si no hay aqu lamos grandes ni chicos, se ha de llamar esto los Alamillos?
Doa Perfecta | Benito Prez Galds

British Dictionary definitions for chico

chico

/ (ˈtʃiːkəʊ) /

nounplural -cos

another name for greasewood (def. 1)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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