nitty

American

[nit-ee] / ˈnɪt i /

adjective

nittier, nittiest

full of nits.

nitty ¹ British

/ ˈnɪtɪ /

adjective

infested with nits

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

nitty ² British

/ ˈnɪtɪ /

adjective

informal foolish; stupid

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of nitty

First recorded in 1560–70; nit ¹ + -y ¹

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.

Before we get into the nitty gritty, had you already been a fan of “Squid Game”? Did you watch the first season?

From Salon • Dec. 31, 2024

Much of Thursday's hearing has focused on the nitty gritty of Wade and Willis' relationship.

From BBC • Feb. 15, 2024

They were just sort of in a, in a very nitty gritty way, trying to solve the problems that were put in front of them.

From Scientific American • Oct. 12, 2023

Each time, talks on nitty gritty issues went on deep into countless nights but eventually compromises were found — more money was given to grumbling members, sometimes long transition times imposed.

From Seattle Times • May 9, 2023

He has need o' a clean pow that ca's his neighbour nitty now.

From The Proverbs of Scotland by Hislop, Alexander

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023