Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “chic” come from?

Chic comes from French chic, borrowed from German Schick, derived from the German verb schicken, which traces through Middle High German geschehen and Proto-Germanic skikkijaną back to Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to arrange or befit.

chic (English): Elegant, stylish; Good form; style; A person with...

Definitions

  1. Elegant, stylish; Good form; style; A person with...

Ancestry of “chic”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchchicelegant; considerate; elegance
2GermanSchickchic
3Middle High Germanschickento outfit oneself, fit in, arrange appropriately
4Middle High Germangeschehento happen, rush
5Old High Germangiskehanto happen
6Proto-West Germanic*skehan—
7Proto-Germanicskehanąto jump; spring up; to emerge; come up; happen
8Proto-Indo-Europeansḱek-—

Words derived from “chic”

  • chicly
  • ultrachic
  • chicness
  • superchic
  • unchic
  • unchicly
  • uberchic
  • chiconomics
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sḱek- →