n. pl. ni·ce·ties 1. The quality of showing or requiring careful, precise treatment: the nicety of a diplomatic exchange. 2. Delicacy of character or feeling; fastidiousness; scrupulousness. 3. A fine point, small detail, or subtle distinction: the niceties of etiquette. 4. An elegant or refined feature; an amenity: the niceties of civilized life. 5. A compliment or pleasantry, especially when intended to gloss over a potential disagreement or conflict: “Diplomatic niceties aside, the news reports about [the Defense Secretary's] departure make it pretty clear what happened” (John Cassidy). [Middle English nicete, silliness, exactitude, from Old French, silliness, from nice, silly; see NICE.] |
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