Pleasant, kind, or enjoyable. It can describe people, things, experiences, or weather that make you feel good.
From Old French 'nice' meaning 'careless, clumsy, weak', from Latin 'nescius' meaning 'ignorant' ('ne' = not + 'scire' = to know). Over time, the meaning flipped through 'fussy' and 'delicate' to the modern sense of 'pleasant'.
The word 'nice' started out as an insult meaning 'ignorant'—the exact opposite of its modern feel-good meaning. Its long, twisty history shows how social attitudes can completely reverse a word’s flavor over time.
In many cultures, ‘nice’ has been used disproportionately to police women’s behavior, rewarding compliance and emotional labor while discouraging assertiveness. Over time, calling women ‘nice’ has sometimes functioned to minimize their competence or authority compared with men.
Avoid using ‘nice’ as the primary descriptor of women or marginalized people in professional contexts; be specific about skills, contributions, or actions instead.
["kind","respectful","thoughtful","skilled","effective"]
When describing women’s work, highlight expertise, leadership, and impact rather than defaulting to personality traits like being ‘nice.’
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