nice-nelly

adjective

nice-nel·ly ˈnīs-ˈne-lē

often capitalized second N

: marked by euphemism

: prudish

nice nelly noun often capitalized second N

nice-nellyism

ˈnīs-ˈne-lē-ˌi-zəm

noun often capitalized second N

the novel's wildly off base portrayal of 18th-century aristocrats as nice-nelly exemplars of decorum

Etymology

from the name Nelly

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of nice-nelly was in 1922

See more words from the same year

Style

“Nice-nelly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nice-nelly. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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