/ niːt; NAmE / adjective ( neat·er , neat·est )
1.
tidy and in order; carefully done or arranged :
a neat desk
neat handwriting
neat rows of books
She was wearing a neat black suit.
They sat in her neat and tidy kitchen.
2.
( of people ) liking to keep things tidy and in order; looking tidy or doing things in a tidy way :
Try and be neater!
3.
small, with a pleasing shape or appearance
SYN trim :
her neat figure
4.
simple but clever :
a neat explanation
a neat solution to the problem
5.
( NAmE , informal ) good; excellent :
It's a really neat movie.
We had a great time—it was pretty neat.
6.
( BrE ) ( NAmE straight ) ( especially of alcoholic drinks ) not mixed with water or anything else :
neat whisky
► neat·ly adverb :
neatly folded clothes
The box fitted neatly into the drawer.
She summarized her plan very neatly.
► neat·ness noun [ U ]
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WORD ORIGIN
late 15th cent. (in the sense clean, free from impurities ): from French net , from Latin nitidus shining, from nitere to shine; related to net (adjective). The sense bright (now obsolete) was recorded in English in the late 16th cent.