Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

nigh

/naɪ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.24 in modern English

Syllables: nigh
IPA: /naɪ/

8

Scrabble Score

4

Letters

1

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Near, close by.

Archaic

adj

Not remote in degree, kindred, circumstances, etc.; closely allied; intimate.

verb

to draw nigh (to); to approach; to come near

adv

Almost, nearly.

prep

name

name

Example Sentences

"The end is nigh!"
"Daybreak is drawing nigh."
"For with ſuch puiſſance and impetuous maine / Thoſe Champions broke on them, that forſt the fly, / Like ſcattered Sheepe, whenas the Shepherds ſwaine / A Lyon and a Tigre doth eſpye, / With greedy pace forth ruſhing from the foreſt nye."
"a. 1831, Ludovico Ariosto, William Stewart Rose (translator), Orlando Furioso, 2006, Echo Library, page 185, He at his head took aim who stood most nigh;"
"By these and many histories more, it is most evident, that the more nigh salvation and deliverance approach, the more vehement is temptation and trouble."
"The enemy, somewhat imboldened, draws nigher to the fort."

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”).

Origin

Source language: German

Word Breakdown

Root: -

Usage

Archaic

Inflected Forms

nigher (comparative) more nigh (comparative) nighest (superlative) most nigh (superlative) nighs (present, singular) nighing (participle, present) nighed (participle, past) nighed (past) ny (alternative, obsolete) Nighs (plural)

Derived Forms

nighen nighness anigh fornigh neighbour nighly nighsome nighwhat overnigh therenigh unnigh

Phrases

nigh-hand nigh on nigh-well well-nigh

Frequently Paired Words

near neighbor next Nighy Nye

Synonyms

close near about almost most nearly virtually well-nigh

Homonyms

nye ngai

Rhymes With

by my why high try guy buy july drive-by die eye hi

Questions

How do you pronounce nigh?: The recorded pronunciation is /naɪ/.
What does nigh mean?: Near, close by.
Where does nigh come from?: It is traced to German.

How to pronounce nigh

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “nigh”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/naɪ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “nigh”.
Repeat and practice — Say “nigh” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.