Word
chad
US/ˈtʃæd/
UK/tʃˈæd/
Definition
n. a slang term for a man who is very confident, physically attractive, and successful with women. It is often used to describe a specific type of 'alpha male' who is popular but sometimes seen as arrogant.
n. a stereotypical alpha male who is physically fit, sexually successful, and socially dominant. Often used pejoratively or ironically in internet subcultures to describe a hyper-masculine archetype.
Examples
“He thinks he is a total Chad because he goes to the gym every day.”
“The meme compares the 'Virgin' character, who is shy and awkward, with the 'Chad' character, who is absurdly confident.”
“While originally a derogatory term in certain online communities, the archetype of the Chad has been reclaimed by some as a humorous symbol of unapologetic self-confidence and physical prowess.”
Examples
simple
“He thinks he is a total Chad because he goes to the gym every day.”
contextual
“The meme compares the 'Virgin' character, who is shy and awkward, with the 'Chad' character, who is absurdly confident.”
complex
“While originally a derogatory term in certain online communities, the archetype of the Chad has been reclaimed by some as a humorous symbol of unapologetic self-confidence and physical prowess.”
Usage
Primarily used in internet slang and informal digital contexts; rarely appropriate for professional or formal speech.
Real-World Examples
“He was ambassador to Lebanon from 2017 to 2020, to Iran from 2011 to 2016, and to Chad between 2006 and 2011.” “In the Lake Chad Basin , the same Vibrio cholerae O1 Ogawa strain is affecting Chad, Cameroon and Nigeria.” Etymology
From Middle English Chadde, from Old English Ċeadda, of obscure meaning; name of a seventh-century Anglo-Saxon saint, revived in the 20th century. The sense of “alpha male” originates from an apparent stereotype that men with such a name tend to bear that temperament, first attested in c. late 1990s in Chicago, Illinois (specifically "successful white man, yuppie"), but in common usage only as of the late 2010s via 4chan slang.
Believed to be from Kanuri tsade (“lake”). The country is named after the lake.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/chad