Comprehensive
Dictionary Suite
Help
Help
Help
 
     
Lookup History
nice

nice

 
pronunciation:
naIs
features:
Word Combinations (adjective), Word History, Word Builder
part of speech: adjective
inflections: nicer, nicest
definition 1: agreeable; attractive; appealing.
She trusted him because he had a nice face.The hotel looked a bit rundown from the outside, but it was really very nice.
synonyms:
agreeable, appealing, attractive, pleasant
antonyms:
unappealing, unattractive, unpleasant
similar words:
charming, cool, likable, personable, seemly, sweet, winning, winsome
definition 2: enjoyable; pleasant.
I hope you have a nice time at your sister's.Come into the water! It's really nice!This is a very nice wine.
synonyms:
delightful, enjoyable, good
antonyms:
unpleasant
similar words:
pleasant, pleasing, pleasurable, swell
definition 3: thoughtful of others; courteous; kind.
It was nice of her to visit me in the hospital.He is a very nice man, always offering to help and always willing to listen.
synonyms:
considerate, courteous, gracious, kind, polite, well-mannered
antonyms:
mean, nasty, rough, unrefined
similar words:
amiable, decent, decorous, fine, genteel, refined, respectable, seemly, well-bred
definition 4: showing a high degree of skill or craftsmanship.
They're expensive shoes but they show nice handiwork.
synonyms:
fine, skillful
similar words:
adept, clever, exquisite, painstaking
definition 5: of good reputation; virtuous.
They wanted their daughter to marry a nice boy, not one of these ruffians.
synonyms:
good, respectable, virtuous
antonyms:
rotten
similar words:
decent, proper
definition 6: of great subtlety or fineness.
There is a nice distinction between these two things that many people miss.
synonyms:
fine, subtle
antonyms:
rough
similar words:
clever, delicate, discernible, discriminable
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
derivations: nicely (adv.), niceness (n.)
Word History
Nice is from a Latin word that means "not to know." Before the 1300s, it meant "ignorant," and in early English, "timid, fussy, or dainty." By the 1500s, it meant "precise or careful," but not until 1830 did it come to mean "kind or thoughtful." Who knows what "nice" will mean a hundred years from now?
Word Builder: nice +
  • nicely:
    in a nice way.