nickel

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nickel, nickel, five-cent coin, spotless, immaculate
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/nikɛl/
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A hard silvery metal whose polished appearance inspired familiar praise for anything spotless or exactly right.
Practice using nickel in conversation until it feels natural

Examples

  • Elle garde ses chaussures nickel malgré la pluie.
    She keeps her shoes immaculate despite the rain.
  • Le nickel entre dans la composition de nombreux alliages.
    Nickel is used in many alloys.
  • Le son est nickel depuis la réparation.
    The sound is great since the repair.
  • Le nickel résiste bien à la corrosion.
    Nickel resists corrosion well.
  • Au Canada, un nickel vaut cinq cents.
    In Canada, a nickel is worth five cents.

Similar words

impeccable
nickel métal
excellent
impeccable
idéal
parfait
Ni
super
piécette
net

Meanings

Chemical element and metal

noun
chemistry
neutral
The chemical element with symbol Ni, a hard, silvery-white metal used especially in alloys, protective coatings, and batteries.

Examples

  • Le nickel résiste bien à la corrosion.
    Nickel resists corrosion well.
  • Cette batterie contient du nickel.
    This battery contains nickel.
  • Le nickel entre dans la composition de nombreux alliages.
    Nickel is used in many alloys.
  • La Nouvelle-Calédonie produit beaucoup de nickel.
    New Caledonia produces a great deal of nickel.
  • Une fine couche de nickel protège la pièce métallique.
    A thin layer of nickel protects the metal part.

Similar words

nickel métal
Ni
métal argenté

Five-cent coin

noun
money
informal
In North American use, especially Canadian French, a coin worth five cents.

Examples

  • Il a trouvé un nickel au fond de sa poche.
    He found a nickel in his pocket.
  • Ce bonbon coûtait un nickel autrefois.
    That sweet used to cost a nickel.
  • Elle a posé deux nickels sur le comptoir.
    She put two nickels on the counter.
  • Au Canada, un nickel vaut cinq cents.
    In Canada, a nickel is worth five cents.
  • Je n'ai même pas un nickel sur moi.
    I don't even have a nickel on me.

Similar words

pièce de cinq cents
cinq cents
piécette

Spotlessly clean

adjective
everyday
informal
Describes something extremely clean, neat, or carefully put in order.

Examples

  • La cuisine est nickel après le ménage.
    The kitchen is spotless after the cleaning.
  • Il veut que sa voiture soit nickel avant de la vendre.
    He wants his car spotless before selling it.
  • Ta chambre est vraiment nickel aujourd'hui.
    Your room is really spotless today.
  • Elle garde ses chaussures nickel malgré la pluie.
    She keeps her shoes immaculate despite the rain.
  • Après leur passage, tout était nickel.
    After they left, everything was spotless.

Similar words

impeccable
propre
net
astiqué
irréprochable

Perfect or exactly suitable

adjective
everyday
informal
Says that something is excellent, works faultlessly, or suits a situation exactly.

Examples

  • Dix heures demain, c'est nickel pour moi.
    Ten tomorrow is perfect for me.
  • Ton dossier est nickel, tu peux l'envoyer.
    Your file is perfect, you can send it.
  • Le son est nickel depuis la réparation.
    The sound is great since the repair.
  • Nous avons tout vérifié et maintenant c'est nickel.
    We checked everything and now it's perfect.
  • Cette solution est nickel pour un petit appartement.
    This solution is just right for a small flat.

Similar words

parfait
impeccable
excellent
idéal
super

Etymology

Borrowed in the eighteenth century from German Nickel, shortened from Kupfernickel, literally ‘copper goblin’. Miners used the name for an ore that looked copper-bearing but yielded no copper. The familiar adjective, recorded in the early twentieth century, refers to the metal's bright polish.

FAQ

What does nickel mean in French?

Nickel names the metal and a North American five-cent coin. Informally, it also means spotless, perfect, or exactly suitable.

Is nickel masculine or feminine?

The metal and coin senses are masculine nouns: le nickel and un nickel. As a familiar adjective, nickel is normally invariant.

What does c'est nickel mean?

C'est nickel informally means that something is perfect, excellent, working properly, or exactly suitable.

Can nickel mean clean?

Yes. Informal nickel can describe a room, vehicle, or other thing that is spotlessly clean and neat.

Where does nickel come from?

It comes from German Nickel, shortened from Kupfernickel, a miners' name meaning ‘copper goblin’ for an ore that would not yield copper.

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