nif·ty

[nif-tee] adjective, nif·ti·er, nif·ti·est, noun, plural nif·ties. Informal.
adjective
1.
attractively stylish or smart: a nifty new dress for Easter.
2.
very good; fine; excellent: a nifty idea.
3.
substantial; sizable: We sold the car for a nifty profit.
noun
4.
something nifty, as a clever remark or joke.

Origin:
1860–65, Americanism; of obscure origin

nif·ti·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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00:10
Nifty is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
Collins
World English Dictionary
nifty (ˈnɪftɪ) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj , -tier, -tiest
1.  pleasing, apt, or stylish
2.  quick, agile: he's nifty on his feet
 
[C19: of uncertain origin]
 
'niftily
 
adv
 
'niftiness
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

nifty
1868, perhaps theatrical slang, first attested in a poem by Bret Harte, who said it was a shortened, altered form of magnificat (q.v.).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang Dictionary

nifty definition


  1. mod.
    neat; smart. : That is a pretty nifty car you have there.
  2. n.
    a fifty-dollar bill. (From nifty-fifty.) : He paid me with a nifty and a domino.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
His latest effort combines some nifty techie tricks with the dual trends of
  cheapening storage and broadband growth.
And though they were late to the dance, they have brought some nifty moves.
What makes it all stick together, however, is the nifty way that technological
  change begets social change.
Here's a nifty milk carton that really spells out its purpose.
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