adj B2 Upper-Intermediate Common

neat

NEET

Neat (adj) means Tidy and orderly; clean in appearance. Example: “He kept his desk perfectly neat.”

adj

Tidy and orderly; clean in appearance.

"He kept his desk perfectly neat."

"She writes in small, neat handwriting."

Of a spirit or drink: served pure, without ice, water, or mixer.

"He drinks his whisky neat."

Skilfully or cleverly done; elegant in a simple way.

"That was a neat solution to the problem."

intj

Used informally to express approval; cool, great.

""Neat! You fixed it already.""

How to use neat

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTidy and well-ordered, or (with drinks) served without anything added.

UK vs US

In UK English "neat" for a drink (no ice, no mixer) is standard; American English sometimes uses "straight" the same way.

Common pairings

neat and tidy whisky neat a neat trick

Word forms

neats plural, neats plural, neat plural, Neats plural

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He kept his desk perfectly _____.

Etymology

From Old French net ("clean, clear"), from Latin nitidus ("gleaming, shining").

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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tidy orderly trim uncluttered spruce undiluted

Related words

cut ordered reduce organized pure tight batman concentrated

Rhymes for neat

eat meat feat beat peat heat seat teat pleat sweat wheat great

See all rhymes for neat →

Frequently asked questions

What does “neat” mean?

The word “neat” means tidy and orderly; clean in appearance. In plain terms, tidy and well-ordered, or (with drinks) served without anything added.

How do you pronounce “neat”?

“Neat” is pronounced NEET (/ˈniːt/ in IPA).

How do you use “neat” in a sentence?

Here is “neat” used in a sentence: “He kept his desk perfectly neat.”

What part of speech is “neat”?

Depending on how it is used, “neat” can be an adjective and an intj.

Where does the word “neat” come from?

The word “neat” comes from Latin. From Old French net ("clean, clear"), from Latin nitidus ("gleaming, shining").

Is “neat” a common word?

“Neat” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “neat” have?

“Neat” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: tidy and orderly; clean in appearance.

What is the difference between "neat" and "tidy"?

Both describe something orderly and free of mess, and they are often interchangeable. "Tidy" tends to stress the result of putting things in order, while "neat" can also suggest a pleasing, trim, well-arranged appearance.

What is the difference between a drink served "neat" and "on the rocks"?

A drink served "neat" has nothing added to it, while "on the rocks" means the same drink is served over ice. "Neat" is room temperature; "on the rocks" is chilled by the ice.

Is using "neat" to mean "great" formal or informal?

It is informal and conversational, used as a casual expression of approval, as in "That's really neat!" This sense can sound slightly dated or wholesome and would be out of place in formal writing.

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