English Explanatory Dictionary

nigh

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Near, close by.
  2. Not remote in degree, kindred, circumstances, etc.; closely allied; intimate.
verb
  1. to draw nigh (to); to approach; to come near
adv
  1. Almost, nearly.
prep
  1. near; close to
name
  1. A surname.
  2. A surname from Middle English
  3. A surname from German

Pronunciation

/naɪ/ en-us-nigh.ogg en-au-nigh.ogg

Word forms

nigh nigher more nigh nighest most nigh nighs nighing nighed ny

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂neḱ- Proto-Germanic *nēhwazder. Proto-Germanic *nēhw Proto-West Germanic *nāhw Old English nēah Middle English neygh English nigh Inherited from Middle English neygh, from Old English nēah, from Proto-West Germanic *nāhw, from Proto-Germanic *nēhw, from *nēhwaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂neḱ- (“to reach”).

Synonyms

near close

Related words

near neighbor next Nighy Nye

Derived words

nighen nigh-hand nigh on nighness anigh fornigh neighbour nighly nighsome nigh-well nighwhat overnigh therenigh unnigh well-nigh
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