Chicago

English

The Chicago skyline

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Algonquian *šekiwa

Proto-Algonquian *-a·kwa

Proto-Algonquian *šeka·kwa

Miami šikaakwabor.

French Chécagoubor.

English Chicago

From French Chécagou, a transcription of Miami šikaakwa (“wild leek, ramp, Allium tricoccum; striped skunk”), from Proto-Algonquian *šeka·kwa; compare Ojibwe zhigaagawanzh / zhigaagawinzh (“onion, leek”), zhigaag (“striped skunk”). Doublet of skunk.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ʃɪˈkɑː.ɡəʊ/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ʃɪˈkɑ.ɡoʊ/, /ʃɪˈkɔ.ɡoʊ/
  • (Chicago) IPA^(key): /ʃəˈkɑː.ɡo/, /ʃəˈkɔː.ɡo/
• (Canada) IPA^(key): [ʃɪˈkä(ː).ɡo]

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Audio:

  (file)

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Proper noun

Chicago (countable and uncountable, plural Chicagos)

2. A large city, the county seat of Cook County, in northeastern Illinois, United States, located on Lake Michigan.

   Synonyms: Chi (slang), Chiraq (US, slang), Chi-Town (informal), Hogtown (US, informal), Shitcago (vulgar, derogatory), The Windy City (informal)

   • 1953 September 18, Saul Bellow, The Adventures of Augie March […], New York, N.Y.: The Viking Press, →OCLC, page 3:

     I am an American, Chicago born—Chicago, that somber city—and go at things as I have taught myself, free-style, and will make the record in my own way: first to knock, first admitted; sometimes an innocent knock, sometimes a not so innocent.

   • 2014, Norm Macdonald Live, season 2, episode 7, Norm Macdonald (actor):

     Chicago is now #1 in murder and sausages. That sounds like my kind of town!

   • 2025 January 26, Priscilla Alvarez, Rosa Flores, “Trump administration launches nationwide immigration enforcement blitz”, in CNN‎^[5], Atlanta, Ga.: Warner Bros. Discovery, archived from the original on 9 March 2025:

     Homan, who was on the ground in Chicago, maintained it was a “criminal operation.” Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove was also in Chicago on Sunday to observe immigration enforcement operations.

3. (rare) A unisex given name transferred from the place name

Usage notes

• In Chicago-related contexts, the word Chicago is often used to refer to certain attributes conventionally associated with the city, such as being tough and hearty, bustling and diverse, or ruthless and corrupt.

Derived terms

• Chi
• Chicagoan
• Chicago atomizer
• Chicago blues
• Chicago Boy
• Chicago brick
• Chicago dog
• Chicagoese
• Chicagoesque
• Chicago Heights
• Chicagoland
• Chicago lightning
• Chicago overcoat
• Chicago piano
• Chicago pizza
• Chicago porch
• Chicago principles
• Chicago Protocol
• Chicagorilla
• Chicago school
• Chicago screw
• Chicago-style
• Chicago style
• Chicago-style hot dog
• Chicago style pizza
• Chicago-style pizza
• Chicago-style relish
• Chicago typewriter
• Chicongo
• Chimpcago
• Chimpcongo
• Chiraq
• Chisox
• Chi-Town
• East Chicago
• North Chicago
• Port Chicago
• Shitcago
• South Chicago

Translations

large US city

• Afrikaans: Chicago
• Arabic: شِيكَاغُو f (šīkāḡū)

  Hijazi Arabic: شكاقو f (šikāgu), شيكاقو f (šīkāgu)

• Aramaic: ܫܝܩܓܘ
• Armenian: Չիկագո (Čʻikago)
• Azerbaijani: Çikaqo
• Belarusian: Чыка́га m (Čykáha)
• Bengali: শিকাগো (śikagō)
• Bulgarian: Чика́го n (Čikágo)
• Burmese: ရှီကာဂို (hrikagui)
• Cherokee: ᏏᎧᎪ (sikago)
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 芝加哥 (zi¹ gaa¹ go¹)

  Hokkien: 芝加哥 (Chi-ka-ko)

  Mandarin: 芝加哥 (zh) (Zhījiāgē)

• Czech: Chicago (cs) n
• Dutch: Chicago (nl)
• Esperanto: Ĉikago, Ŝikago
• Farefare: Sikago
• Fijian: Sikako
• Finnish: Chicago (fi)
• French: Chicago (fr) f
• Galician: Chicago (gl) m
• Georgian: ჩიკაგო (čiḳago)
• German: Chicago (de) n, (dated) Chikago n
• Greek: Σικάγο (el) n (Sikágo)
• Hebrew: שיקגו (he) (Shiqago)
• Hindi: शिकागो (śikāgo)
• Indonesian: Chicago
• Irish: Chicago, Siceagó
• Italian: Chicago (it) f
• Japanese: シカゴ (Shikago)
• Kannada: ಚಿಕಾಗೋ (cikāgō)
• Korean: 시카고 (ko) (sikago)
• Kurdish:

  Central Kurdish: شیکاگۆ (şîkago)

• Latin: Sicagum
• Latvian: Čikāga f
• Lithuanian: Čikaga f
• Luhya: Chicago
• Macedonian: Чика́го n (Čikágo)
• Malay: Chicago
• Malayalam: ഷിക്കാഗോ (ṣikkāgō)
• Marathi: शिकागो (śikāgo)
• Marshallese: Jikako
• Navajo: Shikááʼgóó
• Occitan: Chicago
• Odia: ଚିକାଗୋ (cikāgo)
• Ojibwe: Gaa-zhigaagowanzhigokaag, Zhigaagong
• Persian: شیکاگو (šikâgo)
• Polish: Chicago (pl) n
• Portuguese: Chicago f
• Potawatomi: zhekagoynak
• Punjabi: ਸ਼ਿਕਾਗੋ (śikāgo)
• Russian: Чика́го (ru) m (Čikágo)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: Чика̑го m

  Latin: Čikȃgo (sh) m

• Sicilian: Chicagu f
• Somali: Chicago, Shikaago
• Spanish: Chicago (es) f
• Swahili: chichago (sw)
• Swedish: Chicago n
• Tamil: சிகாகோ (cikākō)
• Tatar: Chicago
• Telugu: చికాగో (cikāgō)
• Thai: ชิคาโก (chíkaagoh)
• Turkish: Şikago, Chicago
• Turkmen: Çikago
• Ukrainian: Чика́го (uk) (Čykáho), Чика́ґо (Čykágo)
• Urdu: شکاگو (śikāgo)
• Uyghur: چىكاگو (chikago)
• Uzbek: Chikago
• Vietnamese: Si-ca-gô, Chi-ca-gô, Chi Gia Kha (obsolete)
• Welsh: Sicago
• Yiddish: שיקאַגאָ (shikago), שיקאַגע f (shikage)
• Yoruba: Ṣìkágò

Noun

Chicago (uncountable)

1. (billiards, gambling) Any of various forms of the game of pool, designed for gambling.

Further reading

• Chicago on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Fort Chécagou on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Catalan

Etymology

From English Chicago.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Northern, Central) [ʃiˈka.ɣu]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [ʃiˈka.ɣo]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia, Northwestern) [t͡ʃiˈka.ɣo]

Proper noun

Chicago m

1. Chicago (a large city in Illinois, United States)

Czech

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Algonquian *šekiwa

Proto-Algonquian *-a·kwa

Proto-Algonquian *šeka·kwa

Miami šikaakwabor.

French Chécagoubor.

English Chicagoubor.

Czech Chicago

Unadapted borrowing from English Chicago.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈʃɪkaːɡo]
• IPA^(key): [ˈt͡ʃɪkaːɡo]
• Rhymes: -aːɡo

Proper noun

Chicago n (relational adjective chicagský)

1. Chicago (a large city in Illinois, United States)

Declension

Declension of Chicago (sg-only velar neuter)

	singular
nominative	Chicago
genitive	Chicaga
dative	Chicagu
accusative	Chicago
vocative	Chicago
locative	Chicagu
instrumental	Chicagem

Further reading

• “Chicago”, in Kartotéka Novočeského lexikálního archivu (in Czech)
• “Chicago”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from English Chicago.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌʃiˈkaː.ɡoː/, /ˌtʃiˈkaː.ɡoː/
• Hyphenation: Chi‧ca‧go

Proper noun

Chicago n

1. Chicago (a large city in Illinois, United States)

Finnish

Etymology

From English Chicago.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʃikɑɡo/, [ˈʃikɑ̝ɡo̞]
• Rhymes: -ʃikɑɡo

Proper noun

Chicago

1. Chicago (US metropolis)

Declension

Inflection of Chicago (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
nominative		Chicago	—
genitive		Chicagon	—
partitive		Chicagoa	—
illative		Chicagoon	—
		singular	plural
nominative		Chicago	—
accusative	nom.	Chicago	—
	gen.	Chicagon
genitive		Chicagon	—
partitive		Chicagoa	—
inessive		Chicagossa	—
elative		Chicagosta	—
illative		Chicagoon	—
adessive		Chicagolla	—
ablative		Chicagolta	—
allative		Chicagolle	—
essive		Chicagona	—
translative		Chicagoksi	—
abessive		Chicagotta	—
instructive		—	—
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of Chicago (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative Chicagoni — accusative nom. Chicagoni — gen. Chicagoni genitive Chicagoni — partitive Chicagoani — inessive Chicagossani — elative Chicagostani — illative Chicagooni — adessive Chicagollani — ablative Chicagoltani — allative Chicagolleni — essive Chicagonani — translative Chicagokseni — abessive Chicagottani — instructive — — comitative — — second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative Chicagosi — accusative nom. Chicagosi — gen. Chicagosi genitive Chicagosi — partitive Chicagoasi — inessive Chicagossasi — elative Chicagostasi — illative Chicagoosi — adessive Chicagollasi — ablative Chicagoltasi — allative Chicagollesi — essive Chicagonasi — translative Chicagoksesi — abessive Chicagottasi — instructive — — comitative — — first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative Chicagomme — accusative nom. Chicagomme — gen. Chicagomme genitive Chicagomme — partitive Chicagoamme — inessive Chicagossamme — elative Chicagostamme — illative Chicagoomme — adessive Chicagollamme — ablative Chicagoltamme — allative Chicagollemme — essive Chicagonamme — translative Chicagoksemme — abessive Chicagottamme — instructive — — comitative — — second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative Chicagonne — accusative nom. Chicagonne — gen. Chicagonne genitive Chicagonne — partitive Chicagoanne — inessive Chicagossanne — elative Chicagostanne — illative Chicagoonne — adessive Chicagollanne — ablative Chicagoltanne — allative Chicagollenne — essive Chicagonanne — translative Chicagoksenne — abessive Chicagottanne — instructive — — comitative — — third-person possessor singular plural nominative Chicagonsa — accusative nom. Chicagonsa — gen. Chicagonsa genitive Chicagonsa — partitive Chicagoaan Chicagoansa — inessive Chicagossaan Chicagossansa — elative Chicagostaan Chicagostansa — illative Chicagoonsa — adessive Chicagollaan Chicagollansa — ablative Chicagoltaan Chicagoltansa — allative Chicagolleen Chicagollensa — essive Chicagonaan Chicagonansa — translative Chicagokseen Chicagoksensa — abessive Chicagottaan Chicagottansa — instructive — — comitative — —

French

Etymology

From English Chicago.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃi.ka.ɡo/

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

• Audio (Canada (Shawinigan)):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -o
• Hyphenation: Chi‧ca‧go

Proper noun

Chicago f (demonym Chicagoan or Chicagolais)

1. Chicago (a large city in Illinois, United States)

German

Alternative forms

• Chikago

Etymology

From English Chicago.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃiˈkaːɡo/, (by hypercorrection also) /tʃiˈkaːɡo/

Proper noun

Chicago n (proper noun, genitive Chicagos or (optionally with an article) Chicago)

1. Chicago (a large city, the county seat of Cook County, in northeastern Illinois, United States, located on Lake Michigan)

Hungarian

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English Chicago.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈt͡ʃikaːɡoː]
• Hyphenation: Chi‧ca‧go
• Rhymes: -ɡoː

Proper noun

Chicago

1. Chicago (a large city in Illinois, United States)

Declension

Inflection of Chicago

	singular	plural
nominative	Chicago	—
accusative	Chicagót	—
dative	Chicagónak	—
instrumental	Chicagóval	—
causal-final	Chicagóért	—
translative	Chicagóvá	—
terminative	Chicagóig	—
essive-formal	Chicagóként	—
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	Chicagóban	—
superessive	Chicagón	—
adessive	Chicagónál	—
illative	Chicagóba	—
sublative	Chicagóra	—
allative	Chicagóhoz	—
elative	Chicagóból	—
delative	Chicagóról	—
ablative	Chicagótól	—
non-attributive possessive – singular	Chicagóé	—
non-attributive possessive – plural	Chicagóéi	—

Possessive forms of Chicago

possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	Chicagóm	—
2nd person sing.	Chicagód	—
3rd person sing.	Chicagója	—
1st person plural	Chicagónk	—
2nd person plural	Chicagótok	—
3rd person plural	Chicagójuk	—

Derived terms

• chicagói

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from English, from Miami šikaakwa (“wild leek, ramp; striped skunk”), via the French transcription Chécagou.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /t͡ʃiˈka.ɡo/, (careful style) ^*/ʃiˈka.ɡo/
• Rhymes: -aɡo
• Hyphenation: Chi‧cà‧go

Proper noun

Chicago f

1. Chicago (a large city in Illinois)

Portuguese

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Algonquian *šekiwa

Proto-Algonquian *-a·kwa

Proto-Algonquian *šeka·kwa

Miami šikaakwabor.

French Chécagoubor.

English Chicagobor.

Portuguese Chicago

Borrowed from English Chicago.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ʃiˈka.ɡu/

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ʃiˈka.ɡu/ [ʃiˈka.ɣu]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ʃiˈka.ɡu/ [ʃiˈka.ɣu]
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /t͡ʃiˈka.ɡu/ [t͡ʃiˈka.ɣu]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ʃiˈka.ɡu/

• Rhymes: -aɡu
• Hyphenation: Chi‧ca‧go

Proper noun

Chicago f (demonym chicaguense)

1. Chicago (a large city, the county seat of Cook County, in northeastern Illinois, United States, located on Lake Michigan)

   Synonym: Cidade dos Ventos

Slovak

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Algonquian *šekiwa

Proto-Algonquian *-a·kwa

Proto-Algonquian *šeka·kwa

Miami šikaakwabor.

French Chécagoubor.

English Chicagoubor.

Slovak Chicago

Unadapted borrowing from English Chicago.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃikaːɡɔ/, [ˈʃikaːɡɔ]
• Rhymes: -aːɡɔ

Proper noun

Chicago n (genitive singular Chicaga, declension pattern of mesto)

1. Chicago (a city in Illinois, United States)

References

• “Chicago”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2026

Spanish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Algonquian *šekiwa

Proto-Algonquian *-a·kwa

Proto-Algonquian *šeka·kwa

Miami šikaakwabor.

French Chécagoubor.

English Chicagobor.

Spanish Chicago

Borrowed from English Chicago.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /t͡ʃiˈkaɡo/ [t͡ʃiˈka.ɣ̞o]
• IPA^(key): /ʃiˈkaɡo/ [ʃiˈka.ɣ̞o] (less common, imitating English pronunciation)
• Rhymes: -aɡo
• Syllabification: Chi‧ca‧go

Proper noun

Chicago f (demonym chicaguense)

1. Chicago (a large city, the county seat of Cook County, in northeastern Illinois, United States, located on Lake Michigan)

Tatar

Proper noun

Chicago

1. nonstandard spelling of Çikago (“Chicago (a large city in Illinois, United States)”)
   • 2005 March 2, “AQŞ mäxkämäse: xökümät terrorda şiklänelgän keşene qanunsız räweştä törmädä tota”, in Azatlıq radiosı‎^[6], archived from the original on 15 May 2026:

     Ä Padilla Chicago hava mäydanına kilep töşkäç qulğa alınğan ide.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

   • 2005 March 18, “Kürenekle uyğır dissidentı Rabiğä Qadıyr Quşma Ştatlarğa kilde”, in Azatlıq radiosı‎^[7], archived from the original on 27 June 2025:

     Comğağa qarşı töndä Qıtaydan ğailäse yäşägän Chicago şähärenä yul totqanda, […]

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Declension

Declension of Chicago

nominative	Chicago
genitive	Chicagonıñ
dative	Chicagoga
accusative	Chicagonı
locative	Chicagoda
ablative	Chicagodan

Turkish

Alternative forms

• Şikago

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Algonquian *šekiwa

Proto-Algonquian *-a·kwa

Proto-Algonquian *šeka·kwa

Miami šikaakwabor.

French Chécagoubor.

English Chicagoubor.

Turkish Chicago

Unadapted borrowing from English Chicago.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃiˈkaː.ɡo/

Proper noun

Chicago

1. Chicago (a large city, the county seat of Cook County, in northeastern Illinois, United States, located on Lake Michigan)