Nic

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /nɪk/

Definitions

1. A small cut or notch made in an object or surface ; a brief or slight injury to the skin that causes minor bleeding; a short form or variation of a personal nickname
2. An indentation or small incision on a material or body part causing minimal damage; a diminutive form of a given name used informally; a tiny mark or groove often used for identification or alignment
3. A shallow break or mark that interrupts a smooth surface or edge; a mild wound resulting from a sharp or pointed object; an abbreviated or affectionate version of a personal moniker

Etymology: "Nic" is most often a short form of Nicholas, the name Greek "Nikolaos," built from "nikē" (victory) and "laos" (people). Nicholas reached English through Old French "Nicolas" and Latin "Nicolaus," and its popularity in medieval Europe owed much to Saint Nicholas, the fourth-century bishop of Myra. Shortened forms like "Nic" and "Nick" were common for it, and "Nick" became a byword for the devil in English, possibly through a link with "Old Nick." The sense of a small notch or cut, usually spelled "nick," is recorded in Middle English by the late 1300s. Its origin is uncertain, and it may be related to Dutch or Low German words for a notch. The notch sense also gave English the phrase "in the nick of time," probably from the idea of a notch cut at exactly the right point on a tally stick.

Synonyms: nice, pleasant, agreeable, friendly, kind

Antonyms: mean, nasty, rude, unkind, unpleasant