nigh

C2 Topic:Grammar & Function Words

US /naɪ/ See IPA manual

Freq #19111

Meanings

1

adj
Near in time or space; close at hand.

Many believed the end of the world was nigh.
2

adv
Almost; nearly.

It was nigh impossible to finish the work on time.
3

prep
Near; close to.

The cottage stood nigh the river.
4

verb
To draw near; to approach.

As winter nighed, the days grew shorter and colder.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · near in time or space;... close

2 adv · almost; nearly. about

3 prep · near; close to. near

Word family

Derived forms nigh-handnighennighness

Related forms near neighbor nextnighynye

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”).

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# nigh

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj, adv, prep, verb
**IPA (US):** /naɪ/
**Frequency rank:** 19111

## Meanings
1. Near in time or space; close at hand.
2. Almost; nearly.
3. Near; close to.
4. To draw near; to approach.

## Examples
- Many believed the end of the world was nigh.
- It was nigh impossible to finish the work on time.
- The cottage stood nigh the river.
- As winter nighed, the days grew shorter and colder.

## Synonyms
- near

## Derived Forms
- nigh-hand
- nighen
- nighness

## Related Forms
- near
- neighbor
- next
- nighy
- nye

## 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”).

## AI Etymology
Nigh is 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”). The historical chain records Proto-Indo-European *h₂neḱ-, Proto-Germanic *nēhwaz, Proto-Germanic *nēhw, Proto-West Germanic *nāhw, Old English nēah, Middle English neygh, and English nigh. Current senses include near in time or space; close at hand and almost; nearly. The wider family includes derived forms such as nigh-hand, nighen, and nighness; related words such as near, neighbor, next, and nighy.

## Topics
- Grammar & Function Words

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nigh

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