Standard Lemma guide

nicety

adj · noun · 8 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈnaɪsɪti/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: N AY1 S IH0 T IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Behaving in an unpleasant or spiteful way that is seemingly, or perceived as, pleasant or agreeable.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A small detail or distinction.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • We met the new captain while we were taking enemy fire and were unable to observe the niceties of formal introductions.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Subtlety or precision of use; exactness; preciseness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • A rocket-propelled grenade doesn't have the nicety of a sniper round, but you must admit its effectiveness.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A delicacy of character or feeling usually from excessive refinement; fastidiousness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

Synonym of social nicety.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: social nicety

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

That which is delicate to the taste.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

conformity with some esthetic standard of correctness or propriety

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • it was performed with justness and beauty

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: justness, rightness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: conformity, conformance

8

noun

Meaning 8

a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • without understanding the finer nuances you can't enjoy the humor
  • don't argue about shades of meaning

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: nuance, shade, subtlety, refinement

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: meaning, significance, signification, import

History

Etymology

From Middle English nicetee, from Old French niceté (“simpleness, foolishness”), from nice (“simple, foolish”); equivalent to nice + -e- + -ty.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: изтънченост (iztǎnčenost) — small detail that is nice or polite but not necessary
  • Chinese Mandarin: 考究 — small detail that is nice or polite but not necessary
  • Chinese Mandarin: 细节 (xìjié) — small detail that is nice or polite but not necessary
  • Czech: jemnůstka — small detail that is nice or polite but not necessary
  • Czech: jemnost — small detail that is nice or polite but not necessary
  • Czech: finesa — small detail that is nice or polite but not necessary
  • French: délicatesse — small detail that is nice or polite but not necessary
  • Irish: beaichte — small detail that is nice or polite but not necessary
  • Irish: cruinneas — small detail that is nice or polite but not necessary
  • Russian: дета́ль (detálʹ) — small detail that is nice or polite but not necessary
  • Czech: finesa — subtlety or precision of use
  • Czech: přesnost — subtlety or precision of use
  • Czech: detail — subtlety or precision of use
  • French: subtilité — subtlety or precision of use
  • Japanese: 微妙 (bimyō) — subtlety or precision of use
  • Russian: то́чность (tóčnostʹ) — subtlety or precision of use