Chick flick and chick lit

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Grammarist

A chick flick is a motion picture that appeals mainly to women by virtue of its theme, plot and actors. Usually, a chick flick deals with emotional or romantic themes. The term chick flick is concocted from the word chick, which is a slang term for woman, and flick, which is a slang term for film. Chick flick as a description of a motion picture that appeals to women was first used in the late 1980s and the early 1990s.

Chick lit is fiction that appeals mainly to women by virtue of its theme, plot and subject matter. Usually, chick lit deals with emotional or romantic themes. The term chick lit is concocted from the word chick and the word lit, an abbreviation of the word literature. Chick lit as a description of fiction that appeals to women was first used in the late 1980s and the early 1990s. The terms chick flick and chick lit are both sometimes but not always considered derogatory, certain feminists object to the categories. Occasionally chick-flick and chick-lit are found hyphenated, but most often the terms are each rendered without hyphens.

Examples

We all love a chick flick now and then (okay a lot) – so we’ve picked the 10 best clever romantic comedies that even guys will enjoy. (Marie Claire Magazine)

Those behind the heartwarming ‘chick flick’ said if they added an Oscar statuette to their already bulging awards cabinet this weekend it would be dedicated to the people of Northern Ireland. (The Belfast Telegraph)

The film, which stars Mae Whitman, Robbie Amell, Nick Eversman, Bella Thorne, Bianca A. Santos, Skyler Samuels, and others in pivotal roles, has been reviewed as an “entertaining and likable chick flick” by most of the critics. (The International Business Times)

Sure, they’re well-known in the U.K., but how could they give readers a way to identify well-written, professionally produced chick lit/romantic comedy, even if readers haven’t heard of the author before? (USA Today)

The complicated characters, plots and writing style challenges the mind in a way that popular “chick-lit” or crime mysteries cannot. (The Telegraph)