nice-nelly

adjective

nice-nel·​ly ˈnīs-ˈne-lē 

often capitalized second N

1

: marked by euphemism

2

: prudish

nice nelly noun often capitalized second N

nice-nellyism

ˈnīs-ˈne-lē-ˌi-zəm 

noun often capitalized second N

Synonyms

• bluenosed
• prim
• prudish
• puritanical
• straitlaced
• straightlaced
• Victorian

Examples of nice-nelly in a Sentence

the novel's wildly off base portrayal of 18th-century aristocrats as nice-nelly exemplars of decorum

Word History

Etymology

from the name Nelly

First Known Use

1922, in the meaning defined at sense 1