nice-Nellyism

See also: nice-nellyism

English

Alternative forms

• nice-nellyism

Etymology

nice Nelly +‎ -ism

Noun

nice-Nellyism (countable and uncountable, plural nice-Nellyisms)

1. (usually uncountable) Prudishness or excessive modesty.
2. (countable) A euphemism; an act or expression of prudishness or excessive modesty.
   • 1976, Kurt Vonnegut, Slapstick, Delacorte Press, Prologue, p. 8:

     He was a co-founder of the Indianapolis Chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous. ¶ His obituary in the Indianapolis Star said that he himself was not an alcoholic. ¶ This denial was at least partly a nice-Nellyism from the past, I think.