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nixie en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /ˈnɪksi/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From German Nixe, feminine of Nix, from Middle High German nickes, from Old High German nihhus (“water-elf, crocodile”), from Proto-Germanic *nikwus, *nikwis, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *neygʷ- (“to wash”). Cognate with Old English nicor (“water-elf, hippopotamus, walrus”), English nicker.

Meanings

1. A female nix, a water-spirit.
   • In medieval times, the image of the double fish tailed siren was called a nixie or evil water spirit. Yet, the nixies were more likely daughters of the primordial goddess named Nyx or mother night, who hovered over ancient waters, rather than evil spirits. 2011, Katalin Koda, Fire of the Goddess, page 83:
   • Bare from her garters up her flesh appears under the sapphire a nixie’s green. 1922 February 2, James Joyce, Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company […], →OCLC:
   • The beautiful Nix or Nixie who allures the young fisher or hunter to seek her embraces in the wave which brings his death, the Neck who seizes upon and drowns the maidens who sport upon his banks, the river-spirit who still yearly in some parts of Germany demands tribute of human life, are all forms of the ancient Nicor[.] 1876, John Mitchell Kemble, The Saxons in England: A History of the English Commonwealth Till the Period of the Norman Conquest, volume I, London: Bernard Quaritch, page 391:
   • The place seems to have been fashioned as a dwelling for dryads and hamadryads, for nixies and pixies, and all the fabled spirits of forest and stream. 1916, Rex Beach, Rainbow's End, published 2008, page 1:

Forms

Spelling	Features	Labels	Source
nixe		alternative	lexicographic
nixy		alternative	lexicographic
nixies	Number=Plur		lexicographic

Translations (4)

cmn 水妖 (female water spirit) · pl niksa (female water spirit) · de Nixe (female water spirit) · cs víla (female water spirit)

nixie en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /ˈnɪksi/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From nix + -ie.

Meanings

1. A piece of mail returned as undeliverable.
   • If you get a response of less than one percent or excessive “nixies” (wrong addresses), rework your copy or get a new list. 2003, Jenkins Group, The Insiders Guide to Large Quantity Book Sales, page 7:
   • Another good reason to use first-class mail is the fact that it will often be forwarded or, if need be, returned to the sender if the address is bad. (In the industry, this is called a “nixie.”) It is important to keep an eye on the nixie rate if you are using first-class mail. 2008, Susan K. Jones, Business-to-Business Internet Marketing, 5th edition, page 15:
   • Mailers who are registered participants in the Postal Service's Address Change Service (ACS) system expect to receive their address corrections and nixie notifications by electronic messages;[…]. 1994 March 3, Postal Bulletin, United States Postal Service, page 4:

Forms

Spelling	Features	Labels	Source
nixies	Number=Plur		lexicographic

Relateds

Nixie tube