chicago style: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
MediumFormal (Academic/Professional), Informal (Culinary Context)
Quick answer
What does “chicago style” mean?
A specific formatting and citation system originating from The Chicago Manual of Style, used primarily in publishing and certain academic disciplines.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A specific formatting and citation system originating from The Chicago Manual of Style, used primarily in publishing and certain academic disciplines.
The set of guidelines, conventions, and visual presentation standards for written material, including citations, punctuation, capitalisation, and layout, as prescribed by The Chicago Manual of Style. Often extends metaphorically to refer to a particular way of doing something, especially in cooking (e.g., Chicago-style pizza).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term and the style guide itself are American in origin. In UK academic contexts, MHRA or OSCOLA are often preferred in the humanities/law respectively, while 'Chicago style' is less common but understood.
Connotations
In the US, it strongly connotes historical publishing and certain humanities fields. In the UK, it may be perceived as an American academic import.
Frequency
Far more frequent in US academic, publishing, and culinary discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “chicago style” in a Sentence
[Follow/Use] + Chicago style + [for/on/in] + [document/publication]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “chicago style” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The department has decided to Chicago-style all future publications, using the notes system.
American English
- We need to Chicago-style this manuscript before sending it to the press.
adverb
American English
- The document was formatted Chicago-style, as the client requested.
adjective
British English
- She submitted a Chicago-style bibliography with her dissertation.
American English
- He prefers Chicago-style footnotes over parenthetical citations.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in specific publishing businesses.
Academic
Primary context. E.g., 'The history journal requires submissions in Chicago style.'
Everyday
Almost exclusively in reference to food: 'Let's get a Chicago-style deep-dish pizza.'
Technical
Specific to editorial, typesetting, and library sciences.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “chicago style”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “chicago style”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “chicago style”
- Capitalising 'style' when it's not at the start of a sentence (it's often lowercased).
- Using 'Chicago style' to refer to APA or MLA citations.
- Misspelling as 'Chicargo style'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, essentially. 'A Manual for Writers' by Kate L. Turabian is a student-focused adaptation of The Chicago Manual of Style. The rules are nearly identical.
Chicago style (notes-bibliography) often uses footnotes or endnotes for citations, while APA uses an author-date in-text system. Chicago is common in history and humanities; APA is standard in social sciences.
No, it covers all aspects of manuscript preparation: punctuation, capitalisation, number treatment, quotations, tables, and indexing, in addition to citation formats.
It's a deep-dish pizza characterised by a thick, pie-like crust, reversed layering (cheese directly on the dough, then toppings, then sauce on top), and baked in a round, high-walled pan.
A specific formatting and citation system originating from The Chicago Manual of Style, used primarily in publishing and certain academic disciplines.
Chicago style is usually formal (academic/professional), informal (culinary context) in register.
Chicago style: in British English it is pronounced /ʃɪˈkɑːɡəʊ staɪl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ʃɪˈkɑːɡoʊ staɪl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the city's deep-dish pizza: layered and substantial. Chicago style in writing is similarly detailed and layered with footnotes.
Conceptual Metaphor
AUTHORITY AS A GUIDEBOOK (The style manual is the law), STYLE AS A LOCATION (Associated with the city of Chicago).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'Chicago style' LEAST likely to be used?