nifty

Etymology

From *nift + -y. First element is of unknown origin. Possibly theatrical slang, as a shortened, altered form of Magnificat.

adj

1. (colloquial, somewhat dated) Good, smart; useful or beneficial.
   a nifty trick for reducing your household energy bill
2. (colloquial, somewhat dated) Stylish.
   nifty gear
   You look nifty in that jacket.
   The niftiest, snappiest slacks you ever saw! 1933, Stella Blum, Everyday Fashion of the Thirties as pictured in Sears Catalogs, published 1986, page 56

noun

1. (colloquial, dated) A possibly risqué comic story or anecdote.
   New subscribers are the life of our party (any advertiser will tell you that) just as the regular reader of CLIPPINGS becomes the life of any party (and why not with such a supply of “nifties” and bon mots). 1929, Air Wonder Stories
   Because some of the stories that the Sultana told are nifties, the plays are sometimes edited. This facilitates production and eliminates a lot of questions from the kids when they get home. April 8 1950, Billboard, page 146
   “Miss Fletcher knows exactly what she is doing, goes about her business with gratifying swiftness and comes up with a finish worthy of one of Roald Dahl's little nifties,” wrote Douglas Watt. 2011, Amnon Kabatchnik, Blood on the Stage, 1950-1975, page 580