nice

/naɪs/

//naɪs// adj

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

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

The verdict

“nice” is in the everyday core of English, ranked #423 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#423
frequency rank, English
4
letters
4
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Pleasant, satisfactory.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

nice vs NYC
0% similar
nice vs NIH
0% similar
nice vs nil
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for nice
PropertyValue
Headwordnice
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/naɪs/
Letters4
Frequency rank#423
Misspellings tracked4
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “nice” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). nice lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for nice is 4 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /naɪs/. Corpus data places it at rank #423 in overall English word frequency, putting it firmly in the everyday core of the language. Wiktionary records 13 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 4 likely wrong-spelling variants for nice, with forms such as "ncie", "nicce", and "niec". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "NYC", "NIH", "nil", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English nyce, nice, nys, from Old French nice, niche, nisce (“simple, foolish, ignorant”), from Latin nescius (“ignorant, not knowing”); compare nesciō (“to know not, be ignorant of”), from ne (“not”) + sciō (“to know”). The correct English form is nice, spelled N-I-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Pleasant, satisfactory.
  2. 2
    Of a person: friendly, attractive.
  3. 3
    Respectable; virtuous.
  4. 4
    Shows that the given adjective is desirable, or acts as a mild intensifier; pleasantly, quite.
  5. 5
    Giving a favorable review or having a favorable impression.
  6. 6
    Showing refinement or delicacy, proper, seemly
  7. 7
    Silly, ignorant; foolish.
  8. 8
    Particular in one's conduct; scrupulous, painstaking; choosy.
  9. 9
    Having particular tastes; fussy, fastidious.
  10. 10
    Particular as regards rules or qualities; strict.
  11. 11
    Showing or requiring great precision or sensitive discernment; subtle.
  12. 12
    Easily injured; delicate; dainty.
  13. 13
    Doubtful, as to the outcome; risky.

Etymology

From Middle English nyce, nice, nys, from Old French nice, niche, nisce (“simple, foolish, ignorant”), from Latin nescius (“ignorant, not knowing”); compare nesciō (“to know not, be ignorant of”), from ne (“not”) + sciō (“to know”).

Synonyms

charmingdelightfulfriendlykindlovelypleasantsweetcharmingappetisingappetizingdeliciousmoreishscrummyscrumptioustastyfinesubtle

Antonyms

horriblehorridnastyhorribleawfuldisgustingfoulhorriblehorridnastynauseatingputridrancidranksickeningdistastefulgrossunsatisfactorynaughty

This word in other languages

paja(Español)gentil(Français)freundlich(Deutsch)bonito(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ncie,nicce,niec,nnice

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of nice - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ncie2nicce1niec2nnice1
Edit distance from "nice"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "nice"?
"nice" is spelled N-I-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /naɪs/.
What does "nice" mean?
As an adjective, "nice" means: Pleasant, satisfactory.
What words are commonly confused with "nice"?
"nice" is commonly confused with "NYC", "NIH", "nil". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "nice"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "nice" is /naɪs/. 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 "nice"?
From Middle English nyce, nice, nys, from Old French nice, niche, nisce (“simple, foolish, ignorant”), from Latin nescius (“ignorant, not knowing”); compare nesciō (“to know not, be ignorant of”), from ne (“not”) + sciō (“to know”). 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 “nice”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is N-I-C-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /naɪs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “NYC” - see the side-by-side comparison. nice vs NYC
  • 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