a city in central California.
a male given name.
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 ( def. ))
Short for chicalote ( def. )
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Hola, chico: The documentary “The Boy from Medellín” gets up close and personal with Latin music superstar J Balvin.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2021
Now his female colleagues call Raúl chico sensación — sensation boy!
From New York Times ● Mar. 1, 2011
“Calm down, chico, calm down. She might hear you,” Paco cautions, gesturing toward Lieutenant Rojas’s tent.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
The chico, corresponding in a Spanish hotel to a piccolo in Germany or a page in England, or our own now evanescing bell-boy, was to get a peseta for bringing me the letter.
From Familiar Spanish Travels by Howells, William Dean
"Take me directly to the Jefferson Hotel, chico," he said.
From The Five Arrows by Chase, Allan
The 44-year-old Chico man faces 25 years to life and is scheduled to be sentenced Oct.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
Or as Chico Marx famously said: “Who are you gonna believe — me, or your own eyes?”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026
Farmington, N.M., and Chico, Calif., followed, with prices dropping 11% and 7.6%, respectively.
From Barron's ● May 5, 2026
Its nonbeer portfolio is the fastest-growing part of the business, as its Fever-Tree brand of drink mixers and Topo Chico hard seltzer are resonating with consumers, executives said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026
Despite their variousness, Haas says, all seem to have drawn in their diverse ways from the well of Norte Chico.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
In San Antonio the first kites jerked high in the gusty winds; tennis courts were crowded; Mexican chicos waded in the shallows of San Antonio River.
From Time Magazine Archive
The hot beans flavored with chicos and green chile were muy sabrosos.
From "Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya
“Run along, chicos, and have fun at the party. I’ll be in the kitchen serving up the best dinner you ever saw. You look wonderful, both of you, like you stepped out of a movie.”
From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer
Corn was roasted to make chicos, blue corn was ground into meal, and the rest was stored for the animals.
From "Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya
Where he dashed through the bushes and briers unharmed, my thin blues got caught and torn; but he knew what garrapatas were, and said with emphasis, "Estos chicos son muy Demonios."
From Incidents of Travel in Yucatan, Vol. II. by Stephens, John L.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
