Word of the Day

: December 1, 2007

nuance

noun NOO-ahnss

What It Means

1 : a subtle distinction or variation

2 : a subtle quality : nicety

3 : sensibility to, awareness of, or ability to express delicate shadings (as of meaning, feeling, or value)

nuance in Context

Because she wanted to set her novel in New England, the author spent three months in New Hampshire learning the nuances of the local dialect.

Did You Know?

The history of "nuance" starts in Latin with the noun "nubes," meaning "cloud." "Nubes" floated into Middle French as "nue," also meaning "cloud," and "nue" gave rise to "nuer," meaning "to make shades of color." "Nuer" in turn produced "nuance," which in Middle French meant "shade of color." English borrowed "nuance" from French, with the meaning "a subtle distinction or variation," in the late 18th century. That use persists today. Additionally, "nuance" is sometimes used in a specific musical sense, designating a subtle, expressive variation in a musical performance (such as in tempo, dynamic intensity, or timbre) that is not indicated in the score.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.