Nick
/nɪk/noun
A small cut or notch; also a slight dent or chip.
Did you know?The word is historically tied to the idea of a notch or cut, and its cousin in older Germanic languages helped build words for carving, marking, and splitting—proof that language often begins with a blade.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*hnikkaz
“a notch or nick; a small cut or indentation”
Old English
OE
hnycc
“a notch, notch-like cut, or small cut”
Middle English
ME
nic
“a notch, slit, or small cut”
16th Century
English
nick
“a small cut or notch; a precise point or moment”
Modern English
English
nick
“a small cut, chip, or notch; also a prison term in British slang”