Nuance
/ˈnjuː.ɑːns/noun
A subtle difference in meaning, feeling, or expression.
Did you know?Nuance entered English through French as a word for a faint shade or slight variation, and its power comes from naming the tiny differences that change everything.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*new-
“to shine, be bright”
Latin
Latin
nūbēs
“cloud”
Old French
Old French
nuance
“shade, subtle difference in color”
18th Century
English
nuance
“a slight variation in shade or tone”
Modern English
English
nuance
“a subtle distinction or fine degree of meaning”