neat

noun \ ˈnēt \

Updated on: 17 Apr 2018

Definition of neat

plural neat or neats

: the common domestic bovine (Bos taurus)

Recent Examples of neat from the Web

You’ll be brought a good portion of rum neat in your glass (or given a bottle!) along with a dish of brown sugar and sliced limes.

— nneya richards, Vogue, "Where to Stay, Eat, and Lie on the Beach in Martinique," 6 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'neat.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of neat

Middle English neet, from Old English nēat; akin to Old High German nōz head of cattle, Old English nēotan to make use of, Lithuanian nauda use

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

Other Animal Husbandry Terms

apiary, bantam, calico, girth, hogwash, mast, rut

neat

adjective

Definition of neat

1 : free from dirt and disorder : habitually clean and orderly

kept her room neat

2 a : free from admixture or dilution (see ¹dilute 3) : straight

neat brandy

neat cement

b : free from irregularity : smooth

neat silk

3 : marked by tasteful simplicity

a neat outfit

4 a : precise, systematic

mathematics … retains the neat exactness of the surgeon's knife
—Bertrand Russell

b : marked by skill or ingenuity : adroit

a neat trick

5 : net

neat profit

6 : fine, admirable

What a neat idea!

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neatly

adverb

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neatness

noun

See neat defined for English-language learners

See neat defined for kids

Examples of neat in a Sentence

He keeps his apartment neat and clean.
The store is always busy but they manage to keep the shelves stocked and neat.
a nice neat pile of magazines
Fold the paper to make a neat edge.
a neat man who always wore a suit
He's got a neat way of memorizing information.
There is, unfortunately, no neat solution to the problem.
She's a neat person who has traveled a lot.

Recent Examples of neat from the Web

As the historian Pratik Chakrabarti argues in a recent book, this incident serves as a neat example of how, under European political and commercial domination, gathering knowledge about nature could take place simultaneously with exploitation.

— rohan deb roy, Smithsonian, "Science Still Bears the Fingerprints of Colonialism," 10 Apr. 2018
Captain Vincent Kompany shook off his marker Smalling to power a header past United goalkeeper David de Gea and then Ilkay Gundogan displayed neat footwork before slotting home the second.

— john sinnott, CNN, "Manchester City stunned by rivals Manchester United in thrilling derby," 7 Apr. 2018
Jesus had the clean-cut look of an office intern: pressed khaki pants, pink oxford shirt, neat hair.

— maureen o'connor, The Cut, "‘Neither Family Will Be the Same’," 4 Apr. 2018
Fast forward to now, and Chick-fil-A reminded me of the handy tip for keeping your fridge neat — and food safe.

— Southern Living, "This Chick-fil-A Chef Has a Genius Kitchen Organization Tip," 2 Apr. 2018
This recipe calls for just five simple ingredients, and nestling the eggs in a neat pocket of potatoes cuts down on cookware — and clean up.

— NBC News, "10 guilt-free brunch recipes (that only take 30 minutes to make)," 30 Mar. 2018
Then and Now There’s a neat circularity at play here.

— mike duff, Car and Driver, "Hacks R Us: We Drive London's New Plug-In Electric Taxicab!," 29 Mar. 2018
Brown looks every bit the young professional: hair in a workplace ponytail, neat gold earrings, and glasses with clear frames.

— laura pappano, The Christian Science Monitor, "Ivy degree – now what? Low-income grads struggle with careers, status," 30 Mar. 2018
Friston’s arguments had been pulling him toward simplicity—he was now prepared to entertain the idea that predictive processing was a high-level neat system that orchestrated biological scruffiness below.

— naomi fry, The New Yorker, "The Mind-Expanding Ideas of Andy Clark," 26 Mar. 2018

Origin and Etymology of neat

Middle French net, from Latin nitidus bright, neat, from nitēre to shine; probably akin to Middle Irish níam luster

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

neat Synonyms

Phrases

out of this world, too much;

neat

adverb

Definition of neat

1 : in a neat manner

his hair combed back neat
—J. M. Cain

2 : without admixture or dilution : straight

Origin and Etymology of neat

see ²neat

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1578

See Words from the same year

NEAT Defined for English Language Learners

neat

adjective

Definition of neat for English Language Learners

: not messy : clean and orderly
: liking to keep things very clean and orderly
: simple and clever

NEAT Defined for Kids

neat

adjective \ ˈnēt \

Definition of neat for Students

neater; neatest

1 : showing care and a concern for order

a neat room

2 : skillful in a fascinating or entertaining way

a neat trick

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neatly

adverb

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neatness

noun

History for neat

The English word neat can be traced back to a Latin adjective nitidus that meant “shining,” “bright,” or “clear.” The French word net that came from this Latin word had the same meanings and came into English as neat. English neat at first meant “bright” or “clean.” Later it was used to mean “simple and in good taste,” “skillful,” and “tidy.”