Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin Nīcēnus, variant of Nīcaenus < Greek Nīkaîos (Nī́kai(a) Nicaea + -os adj. suffix), with -n- from Latin adj. suffix -ānus-an
early 15c., in reference to Nicaea (Gk. Nikaia, modern Turk. Isnik), city in Bithynia where ecclesiastical council of 325 C.E. dealt with the Arian schism and produced the Nicene Creed. A second council held there (787) considered the question of images.