nixie

¹ American  

[nik-see] / ˈnɪk si /

noun

1. a letter or parcel that is undeliverable by the post office because of a faulty or illegible address.

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nixie ² American  

[nik-see] / ˈnɪk si /

noun

German Folklore.

1. a female water spirit.

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nixie British  

/ ˈnɪksɪ /

noun

1. German myth a female water sprite, usually unfriendly to humans

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Etymology

Origin of nixie¹

First recorded in 1880–85; nix ¹ + -ie

Origin of nixie²

1810–20; < German Nixe ( Middle High German nickese, Old High German nicchessa; nix ² ), perhaps construed at time of borrowing as nix ² + -ie

Example Sentences

The Heritage Series Pony is more my speed: a small, three-door concept that, I kid you not, has a Nixie tube speedometer and horsepower meter.

From The Verge • Nov. 15, 2021

There are quirkier pieces as well, like a Kobold sport watch worn, he said, by Kiefer Sutherland in “24,” and a watch with a digital display of old-school Nixie vacuum tubes.

From New York Times • May 3, 2017

And yet, at the same time, I also have the Nixie watch.

From New York Times • May 3, 2017

Grace McLean plays Blue Nixie, a marine biologist who the asteroid has turned into a daffy water-controlling hero.

From Washington Times • Feb. 25, 2015

What do you think he called the Nixie?

From The Nest Builder by Hale, Beatrice Forbes-Robertson

Related Words

• gnome
• gremlin