nicety

noun

nice·​ty ˈnī-sə-tē 

-stē

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

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

Synonyms

• datum
• detail
• fact
• particular
• particularity
• point
• specific

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

Meanwhile, Morgan became a reliable scene stealer in acerbic British comedies, often playing bluntly profane characters with little regard for social niceties. —Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2025

In a culture where formal niceties smooth many interactions, Mr. Emanuel was blunt and dogged. —Motoko Rich, New York Times, 15 Dec. 2024

Little niceties for the hosts who are graciously putting you up for Christmas? —Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 10 Dec. 2024

Green Border forces us to confront raw human behavior, shorn of all niceties and posturing. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 21 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

nicety

noun

nice·​ty ˈnī-sət-ē 

-stē

plural niceties

1

: a dainty, delicate, or elegant thing

enjoy the niceties of life

2

: a small point or detail

niceties of table manners

3

: careful attention to details

nicety is needed in making watches

4

: the point at which a thing is at its best

roasted to a nicety