chichi

1 of 2

noun

chi·​chi ˈshē-(ˌ)shē How to pronounce chichi (audio)
 also  ˈchē-(ˌ)chē
1
: frilly or elaborate ornamentation
2
3
: chic

chichi

2 of 2

adjective

1
: elaborately ornamented : showy, frilly
a chichi dress
2
: arty, precious
chichi poetry
3
: chic, fashionable
a chichi nightclub

Examples of chichi in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
In Instagram pictures from the chichi event, the 27 year old looks the opposite of stressed, though, posing like a pro. Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 14 June 2024 This part of Colorado is really chichi and fancy, with lots of great restaurants and amazing natural beauty. Krista Simmons, Sunset Magazine, 19 Dec. 2023 Cameo was burning $5 million a month on its staff, travel, parties at the Cameo House, and expensive takeout for stars from chichi spots like Sugarfish and Jon & Vinny’s. Sapna Maheshwari, New York Times, 20 Oct. 2023 Robbie Amell stars as Nathan, a tech bro in 2033 whose consciousness is uploaded to a chichi but bizarre afterlife. Margaret Lyons, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2020 The Washington area alone has the Jason, the Adele, Eliot on 4th, the Tiffany, AVA, the chichi-sounding Henri, the George, the Lacey. Lavanya Ramanathan, chicagotribune.com, 23 Aug. 2019 Freeway demolition on Octavia helped reconnect Hayes Valley to the Lower Haight and Civic Center in the early 2000s, creating an enclave of chichi boutiques, taprooms and expensive homes. Rachel Swan, SFChronicle.com, 16 July 2019 They are given adjoining rooms at the local chichi hotel and are seated together at the rehearsal dinner. John Anderson, WSJ, 30 Aug. 2018 The Love, the chichi Stephen Starr-Aimee Olexy newcomer at 18th and Sansom Streets, has started weekday lunch. Michael Klein, Philly.com, 10 Jan. 2018
Adjective
But finding that perfect chichi pullover can be a mission. Kelly Corbett, House Beautiful, 9 Dec. 2019 Revelers from across the country and abroad were parading through Berlin on Saturday from chichi Kurfuerstendamm street in the west to the city’s landmark Brandenburg Gate. Washington Post, 27 July 2019 Yet, everyday cooks don’t need to read a lactic science paper to understand how to make chichi butter choices. Lucinda Scala Quinn, Washington Post, 21 June 2019 The pages inside the magazine are just as chichi as the cover, featuring an array of pieces from the Paris Couture collections, including conceptual designs from Marni, Loewe, Calvin Klein, and Emporio Armani. Emily Kirkpatrick, PEOPLE.com, 26 Sep. 2017 Of course, there were clues: Michael kicked a puppy in the very second episode, and no self-respecting Elysium so closely resembles a chichi outdoor mall in Pasadena. Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2017

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French

First Known Use

Noun

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1926, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chichi was in 1897

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Cite this Entry

“Chichi.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chichi. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

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