Meanings
- USderogatoryslangDerogatory name for Chicago: a major city in Illinois, United States; especially referring to those parts in the South Side subject to a large amount of violence.
Welcome to Chiraq Chitown My town
2015, Jimmy Chan, Don't Kill the Messenger 69...The Chronicles of Fo3 more examples
Seeing too much of anything in Chiraq streets could be hazardous to anyone's health
2014, Rumont Tekay, Venom In My VeinzWhen the south and west sides of Chicago are covered in the media, for instance, they are often described using infamous terms such as Chiraq and food deserts. Chiraq, a portmanteau of Chicago and Iraq, is used as code to refer to the violence and poverty of these neighborhoods.
2017, Steve Ventura, Martin Bailkey, Good Food, Strong Communities, page 235He met his wife and never thought about moving back to Chiraq.
2018, Shatiera Holman, Equality Ain't Equal
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
Blend of Chicago + Iraq, coined by South Side rappers comparing the frequency of shootings in Chicago and in Iraq.
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with Chiraq
Cite this entry
Chiraq. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Chiraq
“Chiraq.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Chiraq. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Chiraq,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Chiraq.
Source: Chiraq on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.