nesh

/nɛʃ/

//nɛʃ// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"nesh" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“nesh” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as an adjective - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
4
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Soft; tender; sensitive; yielding.

Key facts for nesh
PropertyValue
Headwordnesh
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/nɛʃ/
Letters4
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “nesh” sits in English frequency

nesh falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for nesh is 4 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /nɛʃ/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No misspelling variants are generated for nesh in our index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English nesh, nesch, nesche, from Old English hnesċe, hnysċe, næsċe (“soft, tender, mild; weak, delicate; slack, negligent; effeminate, wanton”), from Proto-West Germanic *hnaskwī, from Proto-Germanic *hnaskuz (“soft, tender”), from Proto-Indo-E… The correct English form is nesh, spelled N-E-S-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    Soft; tender; sensitive; yielding.
  2. 2
    Delicate; weak; poor-spirited; susceptible to cold weather, harsh conditions etc.
  3. 3
    Soft; friable; crumbly.

Etymology

From Middle English nesh, nesch, nesche, from Old English hnesċe, hnysċe, næsċe (“soft, tender, mild; weak, delicate; slack, negligent; effeminate, wanton”), from Proto-West Germanic *hnaskwī, from Proto-Germanic *hnaskuz (“soft, tender”), from Proto-Indo-European *knēs-, *kenes- (“to scratch, scrape, rub”). Cognate with Scots nesch, nesh (“soft, tender, yielding easily to pressure, sensitive”), Dutch nesch, nes (“wet, moist”), Gothic 𐌷𐌽𐌰𐍃𐌵𐌿𐍃 (hnasqus, “soft, tender, delicate”). Compare also nask, nasky, nasty.

This word in other languages

friolento(Español)frileux(Français)kälteempfindlich(Deutsch)friorento(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "nesh"?
"nesh" is spelled N-E-S-H. The IPA pronunciation is /nɛʃ/.
What does "nesh" mean?
As an adjective, "nesh" means: Soft; tender; sensitive; yielding.
How do you pronounce "nesh"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "nesh" is /nɛʃ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "nesh"?
From Middle English nesh, nesch, nesche, from Old English hnesċe, hnysċe, næsċe (“soft, tender, mild; weak, delicate; slack, negligent; effeminate, wanton”), from Proto-West Germanic *hnaskwī, from Proto-Germanic *hnaskuz (“soft, tender”), from Pr... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “nesh”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is N-E-S-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /nɛʃ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list