niais

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /njɛ/, /ni.ɛ/

• Audio (Switzerland (Valais)):

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• Audio (France (Lyon)):

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Etymology 1

Inherited from Old French niés, from a Vulgar Latin *nīdācem, derived from nīdus (“nest”) +‎ -āx.

Adjective

niais (feminine niaise, masculine plural niais, feminine plural niaises)

1. (obsolete, falconry, of a bird) caught in the nest
2. inexperienced, green

   Synonyms: inexpérimenté, novice

3. silly, vacuous, stupid

   Synonyms: sot, nigaud, idiot, zozo

Derived terms

• déniaiser
• niaiser
• niaiseux

Noun

niais m (invariable)

1. buffoon, fool

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

niais

1. first/second-person singular imperfect indicative of nier

Further reading

• “niais”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Anagrams

• ainsi

Norman

Etymology

From Latin *nidax, from nidus (“nest”).

Adjective

niais m

1. (Jersey) stupid
   • 1903, Edgar MacCulloch, “Proverbs, Weather Sayings, etc.”, in Guernsey Folk Lore‎^[1], page 517:

     Il est niais coume Dadais qui se couachait dans l'iaue d'paeur d'être mouailli.

     He is as foolish as Dadais who lay down in the water to avoid getting wet in a shower.