Dutch

Noun

nicht f ‎(plural nichten, diminutive nichtje n)

1. female cousin; daughter of someone's uncle or aunt
2. niece; daughter of someone's brother or sister
3. niece; daughter of someone's brother- or sister-in-law
4. (derogatory) male homosexual, a gay man

German

Etymology

From Middle High German niwiht, niweht, niht, a contracted form of Old High German niowiht, from nio ‎(“never”) + wiht ‎(“being, creature”), derived from Proto-Germanic *ne ‎(“not”) + *aiw- ‎(“ever”) + *wiht- ‎(“thing”). Akin to Dutch niet, West Frisian net, English not where similar developments took place.

Alternative forms

• nich, nich' (informal writing, reflecting the common pronunciation)
• net (colloquial; in central Germany, southern Germany, Austria)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nɪçt/, [nɪçt] (northern, central)
• IPA^(key): /nixt/, [nixt], [nɪxt], [niχt] (southern)
• IPA^(key): /nɪç/, [nɪç] (common speech; regarded as quasi-standard in northern and central Germany)
• IPA^(key): /nɪçt/, [nɪɕ(t)], [nʏɕ(t)] (central, non-standard)
• Rhymes: -ɪçt, -ɪç

Adverb

nicht

1. not

   Bitte nicht stören!

   Please do not disturb!

   Das ist nicht wahr.

   That is not true.

Usage notes

• The adverb nicht cannot freely be used in combination with indefinite nouns. Instead the negative adjective kein ‎(“no”) is used.

Ich sehe keine andere Möglichkeit. – “I don't see any other possibility.”

Er hat keine Äpfel mitgebracht. – “He hasn't brought apples.”

• Nicht can be used with indefinite nouns under certain circumstances, for example if the noun precedes the adverb, or if it is contrasted with another noun.

Äpfel hat er nicht mitgebracht. – “Apples he hasn't brought.”

Es kam heraus, dass er nicht einen Hahn sondern ein Huhn gekauft hatte. – “It turned out that he hadn't bought a rooster but a hen.”

Derived terms

• nichtig
• Nichtigkeit

Interjection

nicht?

1. (tag question, dated or formal) right?; is it?; is it not?

   Du bist sicher die Claudia, nicht?

   You must be Claudia, aren't you?

Synonyms

• gell
• ne
• nicht wahr
• oder
• wa

Kashubian

Pronoun

nicht

1. nobody, no one

Scots

Etymology

From Old English niht.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nɪçt/

Noun

nicht ‎(plural nichts)

1. night, evening
   • c. 1495, William Dunbar, The Tua Mariit Wemen and the Wedo:

     Apon the Midsummer evin, mirriest of nichtis, / I muvit furth allane [...].

2. (definite singular) tonight
   • It's a braw, bricht, moonlit nicht the nicht. It's a beautiful, bright moonlit night tonight.

Derived terms

• fortnicht