adj · adv · intj · name · noun · verb · 28 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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General-American, Received-Pronunciation:/ˈnaɪ̯s/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
/ˈnaːs/Inland Southern US, General South African, /aɪ̯/-ungliding
Australian:/ˈnɑ̟ɪ̯s/
Australian:/ˈnɒ̈ɪ̯s/
New-Zealand:/ˈnɑ̟e̝s/
New-Zealand:/ˈnɒ̈e̝s/
/ˈnɐɪ̯s/Scotland, Ireland, Falkland Islands, Canada, Canadian raising
/ˈnɜɪ̯s/Scotland, Ireland, Falkland Islands, Canada, Canadian raising
/ˈnʌɪ̯s/Scotland, Ireland, Falkland Islands, Canada, Canadian raising
/ˈnəɪ̯s/Scotland, Ireland, Falkland Islands, Canada, Canadian raising
rhymes with -aɪs
homophone: gneiss
nēs
/niːs/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -iːs
homophone: niece
CMU ARPABET:N AY1 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:N IY1 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Pleasant, satisfactory, complimentary.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal
Examples
You weren’t nice to me this morning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Of a person: friendly, attractive.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Respectable; virtuous.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
What is a nice person like you doing in a place like this?
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Shows that the given adjective is desirable, or acts as a mild intensifier; pleasantly, quite.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal
Examples
The soup is nice and hot.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adj
Meaning 5
Giving a favorable review or having a favorable impression.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal
Examples
For Candy Crush Saga, the critics were far nicer than the audience (7.9/10 vs. 3.1/10).
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adj
Meaning 6
Showing refinement or delicacy, proper, seemly
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal
Examples
a nice way of putting it
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
adj
Meaning 7
Silly, ignorant; foolish.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
adj
Meaning 8
Particular in one's conduct; scrupulous, painstaking; choosy.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
adj
Meaning 9
Having particular tastes; fussy, fastidious.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
adj
Meaning 10
Particular as regards rules or qualities; strict.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
adj
Meaning 11
Showing or requiring great precision or sensitive discernment; subtle.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
adj
Meaning 12
Easily injured; delicate; dainty.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
13
adj
Meaning 13
Doubtful, as to the outcome; risky.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
14
adv
Meaning 14
Nicely.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: colloquial
Examples
Children, play nice.
He dresses real nice.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
15
intj
Meaning 15
Used to signify a job well done.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Nice! I couldn't have done better.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
16
intj
Meaning 16
Used to signify approval.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Is that your new car? Nice!
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
17
name
Meaning 17
A coastal city, the capital of Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeast France.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
18
name
Meaning 18
A surname. (pronounced /ni:s/ or /naɪs/)
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
19
name
Meaning 19
A census-designated place in Lake County, California, United States.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
20
name
Meaning 20
Acronym of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, abbreviation, acronym, alt-of
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
21
noun
Meaning 21
niceness.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
22
verb
Meaning 22
To run a process with a specified (usually lower) priority.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
23
adjective
Meaning 23
pleasant or pleasing or agreeable in nature or appearance- George Meredith
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
what a nice fellow you are and we all thought you so nasty
nice manners
a nice dress
a nice face
a nice day
had a nice time at the party
the corn and tomatoes are nice today
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: nasty
24
adjective satellite
Meaning 24
exhibiting courtesy and politeness
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a nice gesture
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: courteous, gracious
Antonyms: none provided
25
adjective satellite
Meaning 25
excessively fastidious and easily disgusted
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
too nice about his food to take to camp cooking
so squeamish he would only touch the toilet handle with his elbow
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dainty, overnice, prissy, squeamish
Antonyms: none provided
26
adjective satellite
Meaning 26
done with delicacy and skill
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a nice bit of craft
a job requiring nice measurements with a micrometer
a nice shot
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: skillful
Antonyms: none provided
27
adjective satellite
Meaning 27
socially or conventionally correct; refined or virtuous
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
from a decent family
a nice girl
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: decent
Antonyms: none provided
28
noun
Meaning 28
a city in southeastern France on the Mediterranean; the leading resort on the French Riviera
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: city, metropolis, urban center
History
Etymology
From Middle English nyce, nice, nys, from Old French nice, niche, nisce (“simple, foolish, ignorant”), from Latin nescius (“ignorant, not knowing”); compare nesciō (“to know not, be ignorant of”), from ne (“not”) + sciō (“to know”).
Borrowed from French Nice, from Latin Nīcaea, from Ancient Greek Νῑ́καια (Nī́kaia), named for a 4th-century-BCE victory of its colonizing Phocaean Greeks over local Ligurians, probably the Vediantii, from νῑ́κη (nī́kē, “victory”) + -ῐᾰ (-ĭă, “-ia: forming place names”). Doublet of Iznik and Nicaea.
Name of a Unix program used to invoke a script or program with a specified priority, with the implication that running at a lower priority is "nice" (kind, etc.) because it leaves more resources for others.
Across languages
Translations
330 source translations are retained for this English entry.