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Nisus

[NAI-səs]

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Latin, late 17th century

1.

A mental or physical effort to attain a specific goal.

2.

An impulse or tendency.

Examples of Nisus in a sentence

"He put a lot of nisus into completing his final project a week before the due date."

"My nisus is to skip my Monday morning workout, but I always feel better when I do it."

About Nisus

Nisus comes from the Latin words "nīsus" ("effort") and "nītī" ("to strive"). If someone uses this word to refer to your actions, take it as a compliment — they're recognizing that you work hard to achieve your goals.

Did you Know?

The word "nisus" was originally published in a 1699 edition of "Philosophical Transactions" from the Royal Society of London. It's appropriate that a noun meaning "effort and endeavor" comes from the world's first and longest-running scientific journal, which launched in 1665.

illustration Nisus

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