Neat

How to spell neat

4 letters · 1 syllable

How to pronounce neat

What does neat mean?

1. adjectiveArranged in an orderly, clean, and tidy way.
2. adjectiveOf a spirit or drink, served on its own without water, ice, or a mixer.
3. adjectiveInformally, very good, clever, or impressive.

Neat in a sentence

• Her handwriting is remarkably neat and easy to read.

• He ordered his whisky neat, with no ice or soda.

• The children thought the science demonstration was really neat.

• He keeps his desk neat by filing every document at the end of the day.

• She prefers her brandy neat rather than over ice.

• Finding a parking space right outside was a neat piece of luck.

Where does neat come from?

Language of origin: French

Neat arrived in English in the 1500s from the Old French net, meaning 'clean, clear, or tidy', which itself came from the Latin nitidus, meaning 'shining, polished, or bright'. That Latin word was built on the verb nitere, 'to shine or glitter', so the earliest sense carried the idea of something gleaming because it had been wiped clean. From 'clean and bright' the meaning broadened to 'free from anything unnecessary', which is how it came to describe both a tidy room and a drink served with nothing added. The same Latin root sits behind the French net (now meaning 'clean' or 'net' as in a final figure) and the cosmetic word 'lotion' has no link, but the polished sheen idea survives in our modern compliment 'neat'. Because the spelling is short and the vowel is heard plainly, it kept its simple form rather than gathering silent letters.

How the word is built

• neat (a single root adjective, from Old French net 'clean, clear', ultimately Latin nitidus 'shining')