nicety

noun

nice·ty ˈnī-sə-tē

-stē

plural niceties

Synonyms of nicety next

: the quality or state of being nice

: an elegant, delicate, or civilized feature

enjoy the niceties of life

: a fine point or distinction : subtlety

the niceties of table manners

: careful attention to details : delicate exactness : precision

: 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 Her latest role might seem a departure: a woman with no apparent interest in the social niceties of artifice. —

Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2023 While the living room was reserved for niceties, the kitchen became the venue where harsh internal feelings and frustrations with others in the home emerged. —

Steven Vargas, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2023 At least the entry-level Mirage ES comes reasonably well-equipped with niceties such as a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system that's compatible with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an automatic climate-control system, and cruise control. —

Greg S. Fink, Car and Driver, 16 Aug. 2023 Still, some of us are waiting for such old-fashioned niceties as facts and evidence. —

Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 17 Sep. 2023 But for the truly intrigued, a full tour isn’t merely a nicety. —

Karen Sandstrom, cleveland, 1 Sep. 2023 Handling money, talking to strangers and learning the niceties of social interaction are crucial lessons for a child to step into their own and develop confidence. —

Camryn Brewer, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2023 In fact, the Z3 has power steering and power brakes and power windows and a power up/down adjuster on the driver's seat—all niceties that have watered down the hearty flavor of sports cars over the past several decades. —

Patrick Bedard, Car and Driver, 19 Aug. 2023 Going with the Advance trim includes niceties from the Select model as well, including 19-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, and a 16-speaker Lexicon stereo system. —

Drew Dorian, Car and Driver, 21 July 2023 See More

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.