nifty
Americanadjective
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attractively stylish or smart.
a nifty new dress for Easter.
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very good; fine; excellent.
a nifty idea.
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substantial; sizable.
We sold the car for a nifty profit.
noun
adjective
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pleasing, apt, or stylish
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quick, agile
he's nifty on his feet
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of nifty
An Americanism dating back to 1860–65; of obscure origin
Explanation
Something that's nifty is really great. You might tell your mom that the Hawaiian themed decorations for your dad's surprise party look nifty. Nifty is informal and a little old fashioned, but it's a perfect way to compliment a cute outfit or express your excitement about your little sister's new roller skates. If a friend comments on your nifty tap dance routine, she thinks it's swell. Nifty has been around as a colloquial term for "stylish or smart" since the 1860s, possibly from theater slang.
Vocabulary lists containing nifty
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.
They also reiterate their lack of bubble concerns, noting that valuations are still lower than what was seen before the 2000 tech bubble and th1970s Nifty Fifty bust.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026
The Nifty IT index of 10 of the country's biggest software companies is down some 20% this year, wiping out tens of billions of dollars in investor money.
From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026
The Nifty Midcap 100 index, where mom-and-pop investments are concentrated, has plateaued since June after surging 20% in the previous four months.
From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026
There was the Nifty Fifty, the group of industry-spanning stocks that gained popularity in the late 1960s.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 19, 2026
Lutie was just about as Nifty as the Next One.
From More Fables by Ade, George
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.
