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Glite Dictionary
Chelsea boy

Chelsea boy

9.8
A fashionable young man from Chelsea in London who wears stylish clothes and acts confident
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : chico de Chelsea
  • He was recognized as a true Chelsea boy by his impeccable fashion sense and confidence.

Examples

  • The club was crowded with Chelsea boys showing off the latest trends.

  • Many Chelsea boys frequent the trendy cafes in the area.

  • After moving to London, he quickly adopted the Chelsea boy look.

  • That Chelsea boy always wears the latest designer clothes.

  • He was recognized as a true Chelsea boy by his impeccable fashion sense and confidence.

  • After moving to London, he quickly adopted the Chelsea boy look.

  • The club was crowded with Chelsea boys showing off the latest trends.

Synonyms

city boy
vsChelsea boy
15 4.5

A man or boy who lives in a city and often dresses in smart clothes

is tied to one fashionable neighbourhood and a specific stylish lifestyle
flower boy
vsChelsea boy
  • Informal
7.6

A young man admired for soft, pretty looks and stylish clothes, often in fashion or pop culture

emphasises fashionable dress and a particular lifestyle rather than delicate looks

Surface Forms

Chelsea boy singular
Chelsea boys plural

Morphology

Chelsea + boy

The phrase is compositionally built from a place name + person (Chelsea + boy) so a learner who knows 'Chelsea' as a fashionable London district and 'boy' will likely infer it denotes a male from Chelsea. However, the stereotypeal nuance (stylishness, particular lifestyle and attitude) is culturally specific and not fully predictable from the words alone, so full understanding requires extra sociocultural knowledge.

Etymology

Chelsea boy comes from the Chelsea area of London, where young men, called boys in the phrase, walked the streets in smart clothes and showed off their style. So the phrase means 'a fashionable young man'.