Word of the day · 5 May 2026
niche
/niːʃ/
noun
A specialized segment of a market, hobby or habitat; also a recessed space in a wall. As slang praise, “niche” can mean appealingly specific.
In a sentence
- They built a niche shop for left-handed tools only.
- Her humor is niche, but her friends adore it.
- A statue stood in the stone niche by the stairs.
In an image
Origin
From French niche (recess, kennel), likely from nicher (to make a nest); English kept both the architectural and figurative senses.
History
Ecology speaks of a species’ niche; business speaks of niche markets. Social apps added a compliment sense for tastes that feel rare and intentional. Pronunciation varies (neesh or nitch). Lookups mix the business sense with the new slang approval.
Nearby words
specialty · segment · recess
The narrow corner where something fits unusually well.