Dictionary.com

nice-nellyism

or nice-Nel·ly·ism

[ nahys-nel-ee-iz-uhm ]
/ ˈnaɪsˈnɛl iˌɪz əm /
Save This Word!

noun
excessive modesty; prudishness.
a euphemism: an evasive style of writing, full of circumlocutions and nice-nellyisms.
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
Question 1 of 7
In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

Origin of nice-nellyism

First recorded in 1935–40; nice nelly + -ism
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
FEEDBACK