nifty

1 of 2

adjective

nif·​ty ˈnif-tē How to pronounce nifty (audio)
niftier; niftiest
informal : very good: such as
a
: very attractive or appealing
nifty clothes
Jon Gnagy was an artist—you could tell this by the nifty goatee he wore …Andy Meisler
b
: very pleasant or enjoyable
a nifty performance
… this barrier isle off North Carolina's southernmost coast still provides a nifty getaway.Spike Gillespie
The Smithereens consistently present nifty, driving songs, quite involved by pop standards.David Hiltbrand
c
: very interesting or clever : ingenious
a nifty device
The museum's gift shop is well-stocked, complete with a nifty machine that, for $1, will crush a fresh penny into a copper medal bearing the likeness of T. Rex.Carl Wayne Arrington
Some investors are catching on to a nifty tax-saving trick allowable by Roth IRA rules.Karen Hube
d
: well-executed
A fan leaned out of the stands and made a nifty grab of the ricochet, and received a nice round of applause.George Vecsay
niftily adverb
Harrison is an upwardly mobile … young man with a wife, son and a niftily restored house in San Francisco. John J. O'Connor

nifty

2 of 2

noun

plural nifties
: something that is nifty
especially : a clever or neatly turned phrase or joke

Examples of nifty in a Sentence

Adjective a nifty pair of shoes This nifty little machine can do just about anything. Noun though ostensibly a drama, the play is filled with zingy little nifties that lighten the mood that joke was a nifty
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Plus, organize your living space with the help of this nifty entertainment center that is $110 off. Alicia Geigel, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Oct. 2024 This nifty styler features three ceramic barrels to define and polish waves, creating a more voluminous look in the process. InfinitiPro by Conair InfinitiPro by Conair Hair Dryer $47 $40 Amazon Looking for an affordable but ultra-trusty blow-dryer? Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 9 Oct. 2024
Noun
The bleeding continued at 15:05 of the first when Kotkaniemi made it 2-0 with a nifty backhand tuck at the base of the left post. Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 25 Nov. 2022 His next points came via a nifty behind-the-back pass from Orlando Lovejoy on a fastbreak which led to an easy layup for Bates. Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press, 12 Nov. 2022 See all Example Sentences for nifty 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nifty.' 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

Adjective

origin unknown

First Known Use

Adjective

1865, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1918, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nifty was in 1865

Dictionary Entries Near nifty

Cite this Entry

“Nifty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nifty. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

nifty

adjective
nif·​ty
ˈnif-tē
niftier; niftiest
informal
: very good : very attractive
nifty noun

More from Merriam-Webster on nifty

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