etymology · 1200s–1400s
nice
Drift #17 · May 29, 2026 · attitude
Meaning comparison
Today it means
pleasant; agreeable; kind
It used to mean (1200s–1400s)
foolish; ignorant; simple-minded
Etymology
'Nice' comes from Old French 'nice' — foolish, simple — from Latin 'nescius' (ignorant). Over four centuries it passed through 'foolishly particular,' then 'fastidious,' then 'precise,' then 'pleasant.' One of English's most travelled words, it spent centuries as an insult before landing as a gentle compliment.
The Drift
How the meaning shifted over time
the drift
In Historical Context
She was thought a nice creature — gullible, easily misled, and unable to perceive when she was being mocked.
drift fact
Jane Austen used 'nice' sarcastically to mean 'overly particular' — the word was still shifting in her lifetime.
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