Are you unsure about the meaning of nifty? Read here for a complete guide to nifty and its definitions so you never have to wonder.

Have you ever heard the word nifty used in conversation? This quirky little word is not only a fun word to say, but it’s also a great word to add to your vocabulary to make your language and writing more engaging.

After you read this complete guide to the word nifty, you’ll be familiar with its definitions, where the word comes from, and how it’s used.

What Is the Definition of Nifty?

Nifty has one obvious definition and one lesser-known definition. Both of them are fairly common in contexts but they carry completely unrelated meanings.

The most common definition is of good quality, effective, and pleasing. It can imply cleverness.

The word nifty is used to describe many things from gadgets and tools to pieces of clothing. It’s quite common in everyday language and in writing.

The other usage of the word nifty is not quite as common, and it has a completely different meaning than the other. The phrase in question is “The Nifty 50.” In this usage, nifty doesn’t really have much meaning on its own.

Rather, the phrase as a whole has its own definition: one of the primary stock indexes used for the Indian stock market. It represents the weighted average of 50 of the largest Indian companies on the National Stock Exchange (NSE)

The Nifty 50 is one of the two main stock indexes used in India. The 50 companies in it are considered blue-chip investments, meaning they are well-established companies with a fairly reliable stock price. This index shows information like earnings per share (EPS) and other important information when it comes to stocks.

What Are Other Forms of the Word Nifty?

While The Nifty 50 is pretty much only used in that form, the word nifty on its own has several different word forms.

Of course, there is the comparative adjective “niftier” that can help you to describe something as more nifty than something else. The superlative adjective “niftiest” can help you to describe something that is the most nifty.

There is also the adverb “niftily,” which can be used to describe an action that is done in a nifty manner.

Nifty can also be a noun. This form is more common in British English, as American English speakers don’t really use this form. It is a noun that describes something that is nifty, and it most often refers to a clever joke.

Where Did the Word Nifty Come From?

To help bring more clarity to the word’s meaning and to shed light on its history, let’s take a look at its etymology to see how it came to be and how it has evolved over time.

The Word Nifty: Origin Unknown

The word nifty is a rare word in English because its exact origin is unclear. Etymologists know that the word first surfaced in the middle of the 19th century in its adjective form, but they do not know where the word was birthed.

It does not appear to have ties to Latin or any other ancient language. It doesn’t even appear to have come from Middle English. It is truly an anomaly.

It appears that the word is most likely a slang term that surfaced through theatrical productions, but even that hypothesis has not been confirmed.

In the early 20th century, the word evolved and its noun form surfaced in British English. Since the word’s inception, its definitions have not evolved.

The Nifty 50 Origin

As we established above, the Nifty Fifty is a first-rate stock index in India. It is one of the most important financial services provided in the Indian stock exchange, as it provides a very clear picture of the market with about 65% market capitalization.

The Nifty 50 index began in 1996. But this wasn’t the first stock index that had gone by that name. An index by the same name was around in the US in the 60s and 70s. The phrase “Nifty 50” has been used in the stock exchange context since that time.

What Are Some Examples of Nifty in a Sentence?

To help identify how the word nifty can be used, here are some example sentences that use the word nifty and the phrase the Nifty 50.

My best friend plays college soccer, and he’s well-known for his nifty footwork on the pitch.

This nifty little gadget is called a garlic press, and it can help you mince garlic in seconds, compared to the several minutes it takes to do it with a knife.

Your suggestion for face recognition software is quite a nifty idea. I’ll get our developers on it right away.

I checked the Nifty 50 and the BSE SENSEX this morning, and it looks like the Indian market is growing at a rapid rate.

Once I saw the Nifty 50 stock market index, I knew that I had to get involved in stock trading overseas.

What Are Some Synonyms for Nifty?

Here are some synonyms you might find for the word nifty in a thesaurus.

Dandy
Excellent
Neat
Bang-up
Choice
Cool
Marvelous
Top-notch
Terrific
Stylish
Awesome

What Are Some Antonyms?

Here are some antonyms for the word nifty.

Awful
Inferior
Bad
Second-rate
Lousy
Poor

Conclusion

The word nifty is an incredibly important word. Whether you’re talking about something specific like the NSE in India or you’re just having a normal conversation with friends, the word nifty has a place. Now, you know everything you need to use it in your speech and writing.

If you ever need a refresher on the word nifty and its meanings, feel free to come back to this article for the information you need.

Sources

Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.