nicety

noun

nice·​ty ˈnī-sə-tē How to pronounce nicety (audio)
-stē
plural niceties
1
: the quality or state of being nice
2
: an elegant, delicate, or civilized feature
enjoy the niceties of life
3
: a fine point or distinction : subtlety
the niceties of table manners
4
: careful attention to details : delicate exactness : precision
5
: delicacy of taste or feeling : fastidiousness
Phrases
to a nicety
: exactly, accurately
… liked doing a quiet business in which they were sure of their customers, and could calculate their returns to a nicety.George Eliot

Examples of nicety in a Sentence

knows all the niceties of diplomatic protocol a woman too fond of the niceties of urban living to even consider becoming a farmer's wife
Recent Examples on the Web But a key witness also testified that such conversations were superficial in nature, extending only to niceties like the weather or fishing. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 29 Feb. 2024 New models come complete with battery backups and wireless connectivity, even niceties like laser proximity detectors. Tim Stevens, Ars Technica, 20 June 2023 At Wednesday’s hearing, there were few such niceties. Will Oremus, Washington Post, 1 Feb. 2024 The feature is essentially a set of configurations for iOS and macOS that limit or block niceties like link previews in Messages and shared albums in Photos. Lily Hay Newman, WIRED, 2 Jan. 2024 Those accustomed to free on-site restaurants, massages, and other classic Silicon Valley niceties need not apply. Kylie Robison, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2024 Miracles can happen to lamb in the Lebanese kitchen; this is a nicety that lands with no punch. Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2024 Interior, Comfort, and Cargo The CT5-V Blackwing shares its cabin with the standard CT5, which gives the performance sedan a reasonably spacious interior with plenty of features and niceties. Jonathon Ramsey, Car and Driver, 16 June 2023 And there are the bits and pieces of newer hardware (relative to 1981) meant to bring a handful of modern niceties to the Book 8088 that original PC owners could never have imagined. Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 5 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nicety.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English nicete, from Anglo-French niceté foolishness, from nice, adjective

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nicety was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near nicety

Cite this Entry

“Nicety.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nicety. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

nicety

noun
nice·​ty ˈnī-sət-ē How to pronounce nicety (audio)
-stē
plural niceties
1
: a dainty, delicate, or elegant thing
enjoy the niceties of life
2
: a small point or detail
niceties of table manners
3
: careful attention to details
nicety is needed in making watches
4
: the point at which a thing is at its best
roasted to a nicety

More from Merriam-Webster on nicety

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