nifty

[nif-tee]Informal.

See more synonyms for nifty on Thesaurus.com

adjective, nif·ti·er, nif·ti·est.

attractively stylish or smart: a nifty new dress for Easter.
very good; fine; excellent: a nifty idea.
substantial; sizable: We sold the car for a nifty profit.

noun, plural nif·ties.

something nifty, as a clever remark or joke.

Origin of nifty

An Americanism dating back to 1860–65; of obscure origin

Related formsnif·ti·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for nifty

Contemporary Examples

Howell executed a nifty up and under in the post and suddenly it was 14-2.
Native American Basketball Team in Wyoming Have Hoop Dreams Of Their Own
Robert Silverman
August 31, 2014
He used his strength to overwhelm defenders but he also had nifty footwork, soft hands, and was a beautiful passer.
Shaq, Year One
Charles P. Pierce
May 24, 2014
Not exactly a Bugaboo, sure, but it does have a nifty one-hand folding feature and weighs only 11 pounds.
How Different Is Raising the Royal Baby From a Typical American Child?
Kevin Fallon, Lizzie Crocker
July 23, 2013
The Palestinian Authority just scored itself a nifty victory at the United Nations.
Surprisingly Conciliatory Words from Mahmoud Abbas
David Frum
December 1, 2012
When bits of sweetmeat lodged in the teeth, the sucket fork doubled as a nifty toothpick.
The Strange Way We Eat: Bee Wilson’s ‘Consider the Fork’
Bee Wilson
October 13, 2012

Historical Examples

Gad, that rose in your hair—trust a girl to know what's nifty!
The Barrier
Allen French
In a moment I had it girdled, and snapped the nifty sort of buckle they had made for me.
The Trouble with Telstar
John Berryman
She carries that sort of thing well—she's so clean and nifty in line.
Money Magic
Hamlin Garland
I suppose a mountain climber would have called it a nifty job.
Fore!
Charles Emmett Van Loan
It's part of my job to be a nifty young suspector—and to use what I guess at.
The Rules of the Game
Stewart Edward White

British Dictionary definitions for nifty

nifty

adjective -tier or -tiest informal

pleasing, apt, or stylish
quick, agilehe's nifty on his feet

Derived Formsniftily, adverbniftiness, noun

Word Origin

C19: of uncertain origin

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

Word Origin and History for nifty

adj.

"smart, stylish," 1868, of unknown origin, perhaps theatrical slang, first attested in a poem by Bret Harte, who said it was a shortened, altered form of magnificat. Related: Niftily; niftiness.

nifty

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}nifty

Examples from the Web for nifty

Contemporary Examples

Howell executed a nifty up and under in the post and suddenly it was 14-2.

He used his strength to overwhelm defenders but he also had nifty footwork, soft hands, and was a beautiful passer.

Not exactly a Bugaboo, sure, but it does have a nifty one-hand folding feature and weighs only 11 pounds.

The Palestinian Authority just scored itself a nifty victory at the United Nations.

When bits of sweetmeat lodged in the teeth, the sucket fork doubled as a nifty toothpick.

Historical Examples

Gad, that rose in your hair—trust a girl to know what's nifty!

In a moment I had it girdled, and snapped the nifty sort of buckle they had made for me.

She carries that sort of thing well—she's so clean and nifty in line.

I suppose a mountain climber would have called it a nifty job.

It's part of my job to be a nifty young suspector—and to use what I guess at.

nifty

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for nifty

adj.

Origin of nifty