Chick Meaning
/t͡ʃɪk/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA young bird.
nounA young bird., A young chicken.
Sentence Examples
Let's pick up a chick.
She hovers over that child like a hen with one chick.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The fluffy yellow ____ peeped loudly under the warm heat lamp.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
A small yellow ____ hatched from the egg in the farm nest today.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English chicke, chike, variation of chiken (“chicken", also "chick”), from Old English ċicen, ċycen (“chicken”). Sense of "young woman" dates to at least 1860 (compare chit (“young, pert woman”)). More at chicken.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Published in the Communications Earth & Environment journal, scientists conclude that due to sea ice loss last year, it is highly probable that no chicks had survived from four of the five known emperor penguin colonies in the central and eastern Bellingshausen Sea in Antarctica."
— 2023 August 24, Pádraig Hoare, “90% of emperor penguin colonies doomed to extinction by century's end”, in Irish Examiner:
"Neither chick nor child was left living the length of the seacoast."
— 1961, Norma Lorre Goodrich, “Beowulf”, in The Medieval Myths, New York: The New American Library, page 41:
""I thought you had some common sense, Frank," said Uncle John; "but I see you are as great a fool as all the rest. Marry, indeed! A pretty chick to marry!""
— 1860, Joseph Verey, Tinsel and Gold: A Fireside Story, London: James Blackwood, page 155:
"He had determined that marriage now would cramp his advancement in the church and that, anyway, he didn't want to marry this brainless little fluffy chick, who would be of no help in impressing rich parishioners."
— 1927, Sinclair Lewis, Elmer Gantry:
"Three cool chicks / Are walking down the street / Swinging their hips"
— 1958, Jerry Leiber; Mike Stoller, “Three Cool Cats”:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The fluffy yellow ____ peeped loudly under the warm heat lamp.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
A small yellow ____ hatched from the egg in the farm nest today.