nicety
Behaving in an unpleasant or spiteful way that is seemingly, or perceived as, pleasant…Behaving in an unpleasant or spiteful way that is seemingly, or perceived as, pleasant or agreeable.
/ˈnaɪsɪti/
» Those words are mere diplomatic niceties.
Diese Worte sind bloß diplomatische Nettigkeiten.
Meaning
1 sensesBehaving in an unpleasant or spiteful way that is seemingly, or perceived as, pleasant or agreeable.
Examples
2 sentencesThose words are mere diplomatic niceties.
deDiese Worte sind bloß diplomatische Nettigkeiten. — Tamy
In sex, he wasted no time on niceties.
Origin
From Middle English nicetee, from Old French niceté (“simpleness, foolishness”), from niceFrom Middle English nicetee, from Old French niceté (“simpleness, foolishness”), from nice (“simple, foolish”); equivalent to nice + -e- + -ty.
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