Nicks and nix are two words that are pronounced in the same manner but are spelled differently and have different meanings, which makes them homophones. We will examine the difference between the definitions of nicks and nix, where these words came from and some examples of their use in sentences.
Nicks is the plural form of the noun nick and the second person present tense of the verb nick. Nick, when used as a noun may mean a small, accidental cut. It is also used in British slang to mean prison or a police station. The verb nick means to make a small, accidental cut. In British English, the verb form of nick may mean to be arrested or to steal something, it American English nick may mean to swindle someone. In Australian English and New Zealand English, nick may mean to move quickly or stealthily. When capitalized, as in Nick, it is a nickname for Nicholas. The word nick is derived from the fifteenth-century word, nyck.
Nix means to negate or reject something, to deny something. When used in this sense, nix is primarily an American term. Nix is a transitive verb, which is a verb that takes an object. Related words are nixes, nixed, nixing. Nix is also the name of a mythological water sprite from German lore. The word nix is derived from the German word nichts, which means nothing.
Examples
Your legs or bikini line aren’t left full of nicks and cuts, unlike the occasional aftermath of shaving. (The Philadelphia Sun)
In his father’s garage, Joe David walks around his offroad vehicle, pointing out little nicks and dents that he will eventually work on. (The Ridgecrest Daily Independent)
The state Department of Environmental Conservation just nixed National Fuel’s 97-mile Northern Access Pipeline, which was to carry fracked gas from Pennsylvania to western New York. (The New York Post)
School Nixes Teen’s Dream Of Giving Grandma Prom She Never Had (The Huffington Post)
Enjoyed reading about these homophones? Check out some others we covered: