Make Your Point > Archived Issues > CHICHI

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connect today's word to others: Let's say you want to describe a ridiculously fancy item on a menu, maybe a slice of avocado toast with caviar and charred grapefruit. You want a word for it that means frou-frou but sounds just a little less frou-frou than that. You need chichi. Chichi is also perfect for describing fancy, fussy, swanky places, like restaurants, hotels, neighborhoods, and villages. But when you don't want the negative tone that chichi carries, you might call those fashionable places t__y instead. (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "CHICHI" This word comes from French. It literally means "airs" or "fuss," and we've used it in English since about 1908. Like it sounds, something chichi is trendy and fancy in a showy way. (And, chichi can also mean trendy, fancy showiness.) Pronunciation: SHE she Part of speech: Usually it's an adjective ("it's so chichi," "this chichi café") but it's also a noun, the uncountable kind ("all this chichi," "too much chichi"). Other forms: Sometimes you'll see it hyphenated: "chi-chi." How to use it: This fun-to-say word usually has a negative tone: to call something chichi is to suggest that it's fake, fussy, frou-frou, overdone, and/or pretentious. Let's check out the adjective first. Talk about chichi places, like chichi cafés, clubs, stores, streets, hotels, schools, neighborhoods, towns, etc. Or, say that a place has a chichi atmosphere or chichi surroundings. Or, talk about chichi things: chichi gifts, knickknacks, food, drinks, events, etc. So far we've looked at using "chichi" as an adjective, and that's the most common way we use it. But let's also check out the noun. You can talk about doing or making something with chichi (or without chichi), or say that something has a bit of chichi, a touch of chichi, too much chichi, etc. examples: I was too hungry to spend time admiring the chichi little plate of sushi. Inside Cooper's Hawk, chichi wine accessories clutter the path to the hostess stand.  study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "chichi" means when you can explain it without saying "pretentious" or "fussy." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "(A certain place) is full of chichi (things), like _____." Example: "Rice Village is full of chichi boutiques, like The Impeccable Pig." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Uncommon Opposites! In each issue this month, I'll give you a rare word and its definition, and you come up with its more familiar opposite. For example, if I say, "To exfiltrate is to secretly withdraw people from a dangerous situation," then you come up with the opposite: "infiltrate." Or if I say, "An allograph is something written by someone other than the person concerned," then you come up with "autograph." We'll take these in order from easy to hard as the month goes on. Ready? From our previous issue: An exclosure is a boundary that keeps out unwanted animals. What’s the opposite? Answer: An enclosure. Try this today: To estivate is to pass the summer in a particular place. What’s the opposite? review today's word: 1. Some close opposites of CHICHI are A. CONSEQUENTIAL and GRACIOUS. B. ELEGANT and OVERWROUGHT. C. MODEST and CLASSIC. 2. In recent years, the district has become less chichi, without a _____ in sight. A. hot dog vendor B. scrap of litter C. $7 latte Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. C 2. C