nice
/naɪs/
adjective
Origin
Latin
nescius — ignorant, not knowing
Overview
Meaning Now
- pleasant, agreeable, or satisfactory
- kind or thoughtful
- refined or cultivated in taste or appearance
Literal older meaning
ignorant
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
nice
Earliest period
13th century
Journey
The word 'nice' has undergone one of the most drastic semantic shifts in the English language, moving from a derogatory term meaning 'ignorant' to a positive, general term of approval.
Evolution
- Latin
nescius
“ignorant”
From 'ne-' (not) + 'scire' (to know)
- Old French
nice
“foolish, simple, or ignorant”
- Middle English
nice
“foolish, senseless, or fastidious”
Initially retained the meaning of 'foolish' before shifting to 'delicate' or 'precise'
- 16th-18th century
nice
“discriminating, precise, or refined”
Evolved from 'needing precision' to 'pleasant/agreeable'
Connections
Word parts
nice
root
pleasant
Related across languages
French
niais
simpleton/silly
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Related to nice
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.