niceties plural a delicate or fine point; punctilio. niceties of protocol. a delicate or fine point; punctilio. niceties of protocol. a fine distinction; subtlety; detail. the niceties of the filigree work. a fine distinction; subtlety; detail. the niceties of the filigree work. Usually niceties a refined, elegant, or choice feature, as of manner or living. working hard to acquire the niceties of life. Usually niceties a refined, elegant, or choice feature, as of manner or living. working hard to acquire the niceties of life. exactness or precision. exactness or precision. the quality of being nice ; niceness. the quality of being nice ; niceness. delicacy of character, as of something requiring care or tact. a matter of considerable nicety. delicacy of character, as of something requiring care or tact. a matter of considerable nicety. a subtle point of delicacy or distinction a nicety of etiquette a subtle point of delicacy or distinction a nicety of etiquette (usually plural) a refinement or delicacy the niceties of first-class travel (usually plural) a refinement or delicacy the niceties of first-class travel subtlety, delicacy, or precision subtlety, delicacy, or precision excessive refinement; fastidiousness excessive refinement; fastidiousness Other Word Forms overnicety noun Inflected Forms niceties plural Origin of nicety 1275–1325; Middle English: silliness, extravagance, cleverness < Old French niceté. See nice , -ty 2 Clearly, you're interested in the nicety of a word's meaning if you're checking out this website. A nicety is a fine detail or shade of meaning that anything — not just a word — can possess. Even the word nicety has niceties. The emphasis on detail can also refer to a precision or accuracy of sorts; if someone has judged something "to a nicety," they've judged it exactly. Yet another common meaning is in the sense of a minor aspect of polite behavior. Washing your hands before dinner is a "social nicety." So is covering your mouth when you cough. Now where would we be without niceties?

Vocabulary lists containing nicety The Vocabulary.com Top 1000 Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide! ASVAB Word Knowledge Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use! 100 SAT Words Beginning with "N" Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time! Example Sentences Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com. See Examples For: No amount of nicety can get those things back. From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026 Said by anyone else, this nicety is unremarkable. From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2023 Many of those places, however, cost money to access — whether it’s a gym membership or the social nicety to buy a latte at a coffee shop. From Seattle Times ● Apr. 29, 2023 For Loudoun County, a rushing attack isn’t so much a nicety as it is a necessity, a prerequisite for the brand of football that’s conducive to frigid postseason nights. From Washington Post ● Sep. 26, 2022 Is it a nicety that means nothing, but one of the many other subtleties that has become muddled inside of me? From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson Weeks before, his predecessor, Sir Philip Barton, had worked through the formal niceties of confirming Lord Mandelson's appointment to Washington, such as writing to the King about it on the 18th of December. From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2026 It’s easy to dismiss my concerns as an obsession with constitutional niceties that modern conditions have rendered obsolete. From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 10, 2026 Bessent’s criticisms of the Fed’s spending on its building renovation and other niceties suggest its budget could shrink, too. From Barron's ● Dec. 24, 2025 As they discuss the niceties and textual flaws of the classics they love as much as life itself, Stoppard’s playfulness is tinged with rue; the older man cannot prevent the younger’s heartbreak to come.” From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 29, 2025 Social niceties done with, he ran his forefinger down the sheet of paper stapled to the inside-left of the folder. From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023 Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer. You'll remember them forever.