Chad (slang)

The slang term Chad originated in Chicago as a pejorative term for young, upper-class, urban males. In modern internet slang, the term can be similar to "bro" and generally refers to an "alpha male" or otherwise a genetically superior male.

Origins
The slang term "Chad" came into use in Chicago as a derogatory way to describe a young urban American man, typically single and in his twenties or early thirties.

In Chicago, the term was covered by a satirical website dedicated to the Lincoln Park Chad Society, a fictional social club based in Chicago's upscale Lincoln Park neighborhood. A Chad was initially depicted as originating in Chicago's affluent North Shore suburbs (Highland Park, Evanston, Deerfield, Northbrook, Glenview, Glencoe, Winnetka, Wilmette, or Lake Forest), receiving a BMW for his 16th birthday, obtaining a law or business degree from a Big Ten university, belonging to a fraternity, moving to Lincoln Park, marrying a "Trixie", and then moving back to the North Shore suburbs.

Manosphere and internet use
The term later came into use in incel forums and as internet slang to refer to sexually active, genetically superior men, or "alpha males". Within the manosphere and internet culture, Chads are generally viewed as constituting the top decile in terms of genetic fitness. In online animation drawings in the manosphere, a Chad is further tagged with an explicit last name and is often depicted as a muscular blond man with very pronounced masculine features. One such depiction, in the "Virgin vs. Chad" internet meme that originated from the /r9k/ board on 4chan in 2017, contrasts an introverted and insecure "Virgin" who acts normal, compared to a muscular and egotistical "Chad" who acts absurdly and over the top. Chads are sometimes portrayed as the opposite to "omega" or "beta" males, and as physically attractive. The term Chad is sometimes used interchangeably with "slayer". Due to their characterization as being genetically gifted and privileged—though sometimes depicted as shallow, air-headed, arrogant, and overtly sexual —the term Chad is used in both a pejorative and complimentary way on incel forums and on the internet as a whole.

The female counterpart to a Chad, in slang, is a "Stacy",   or previously, the "Trixie".

"Gigachad" is a related internet meme that uses black-and-white photographs of a muscular male model. It is used to assert one's opinion as correct, without providing evidence or reasoning.