nicety

noun nice·ty \ ˈnī-sə-tē , -stē \

Updated on: 19 Apr 2018

Definition of nicety

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

See nicety defined for English-language learners

See nicety defined for kids

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 of nicety from the Web

The truth is, Busch doesn’t care about the niceties or politics of NASCAR.

— brendan marks, charlotteobserver, "NASCAR fans: Hate Kyle Busch all you want, but show respect — he's an all-time great. | Charlotte Observer," 11 Apr. 2018
Of course, the fact that Trump was able to reduce the presidency to such a crass exchange, forsaking such niceties as simple decency and respect for the rule of law, exposed terrifying weaknesses in the fabric of American democracy.

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "Corruption, Not Russia, Is Trump’s Greatest Political Liability," 1 Apr. 2018
Most clubs have the no-thank-you rule, but Lynda has added the cordial nicety of the second part.

— hallie goodman, Redbook, "My Husband and I Are Happily Married — But We Want to Have Sex With Other People," 1 Sep. 2017
But the growing divide between Seoul and Washington over how to deal with North Korea was apparent even amid the niceties of pre-dinner remarks.

— anna fifield, Washington Post, "Ivanka Trump arrives in South Korea, but Seoul says no meeting with North planned," 23 Feb. 2018
This is how Tim Alberta of Politico described the scene: The niceties came to a sudden halt when Trump singled out one of them — Jeff Flake — for having criticized his candidacy.

— dwight adams, Indianapolis Star, "Mike Pence and Jeff Flake were once close friends. But then Donald Trump rose to power.," 3 Jan. 2018
Grimm says Bannon reminds him of his father’s family, German and Irish immigrants who worked factory jobs in Brooklyn and saw little purpose in niceties, political or otherwise.

— alexander nazaryan, Newsweek, "Steve Bannon’s Plan To Make America Great Again—With or Without Trump," 28 Dec. 2017
Words to Know That said, basic niceties spoken in Catalan, rather than Spanish, will be better received.

— sara mccarty, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Essential Things to Know Before You Visit Barcelona," 5 Mar. 2018
The two continued to exchange compliments, brief niceties, and a new-friends selfie (of course) before parting ways.

— megan decker, Harper's BAZAAR, "Tiffany Haddish Says Beyoncé Once Shut Down an Actress Who Got Too Close To JAY-Z," 13 Feb. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of nicety

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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nicety Synonyms

NICETY Defined for English Language Learners

nicety

noun

Definition of nicety for English Language Learners

: a small detail and especially one that is a part of polite or proper behavior

NICETY Defined for Kids

nicety

noun ni·ce·ty \ ˈnī-sə-tē \

Definition of nicety for Students

plural niceties

1 : something dainty, delicate, or of especially good quality

2 : a fine detail that is considered part of polite or proper behavior

Grandma taught me the niceties of setting a table.

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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for nicety Spanish Central: Translation of nicety Nglish: Translation of nicety for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of nicety for Arabic speakers

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nicety

Definition of nicety

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NICETY Defined for English Language Learners

nicety

Definition of nicety for English Language Learners

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nicety

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