Nicer
/ˈnaɪ.sər/noun
Comparative form of nice, meaning more pleasant, kind, or agreeable.
Did you know?Nice ultimately comes from Latin *nescius* (“ignorant, unaware”), so one of English’s sweetest compliments was once basically a word for being clueless.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ne-
“not”
Latin
Latin
nescius
“ignorant, unaware”
Old French
Old French
nice
“foolish, stupid, simple”
Middle English
English
nice
“foolish, foolishly particular, fastidious”
Modern English
English
nice
“pleasant, agreeable”
Modern English
English
nicer
“more pleasant, more agreeable”
Explore more surprising origins