nice
English
/naɪs/
adj
Definitions
- Pleasant, satisfactory.
- Of a person: friendly, attractive.
- Respectable; virtuous.
- (with and) Shows that the given adjective is desirable, or acts as a mild intensifier; pleasantly, quite.
- (obsolete) Silly, ignorant; foolish.
- (now) Particular in one's conduct; scrupulous, painstaking; choosy.
- (obsolete) Particular as regards rules or qualities; strict.
- Showing or requiring great precision or sensitive discernment; subtle.
- (obsolete) Easily injured; delicate; dainty.
- (obsolete) Doubtful, as to the outcome; risky.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English nyce borrowed from Old French nice derived from Latin nescius (ignorant, unaware, not knowing).
Origin
Latin
nescius
Gloss
ignorant, unaware, not knowing
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- Niceville English
- looking English
- nice-looking English
- niceish English
- niceling English
- nicely English
- nicen English
- niceness English
- nicery English
- nicety English
- outnice English
- overnice English
- overnicely English
- overniceness English
- renice English
- seminice English
- supernice English
- underniceness English
- unnice English
- unnicely English
- unniceness English
- nescius Latin
- scius Latin
- nescio Italian
- nice Dutch, Flemish
- nice French
- neciamente Spanish, Castilian
- necio Spanish, Castilian
- necedade Portuguese
- ナイス Japanese
- ナイスショット Japanese
- nicetee Middle English
- nyce Middle English
- nycely Middle English
- nice Old French
- næs Icelandic
- 奶思 Chinese
- nesçio Old Spanish
- naispela Tok Pisin
- néscio Ligurian