different between niche vs employ

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French niche, from Old French niche, from nicher (“make a nest”) (modern French nicher), from Latin n?dus (“nest”). Doublet of nidus and nide via Latin and nest via Proto-Indo-European; also related to nyas.

Pronunciation

• (General Australian, Canada, Ireland, UK) IPA^(key): /ni??/
  • Rhymes: -i??
• (US) IPA^(key): /n?t??/, /ni?/, /n??/
  • Rhymes: -?t?

Noun

niche (plural niches)

1. (architecture) A cavity, hollow, or recess, generally within the thickness of a wall, for a statue, bust, or other erect ornament. Hence, any similar position, literal or figurative.

   Synonym: nook
2. (ecology) A function within an ecological system to which an organism is especially suited.
3. (by extension) Any position of opportunity for which one is well-suited, such as a particular market in business.

   Synonyms: specialty, specialization,

4. (Islam) An arrow woven into a prayer rug pointing in the direction of qibla.

Derived terms

• fundamental niche
• niche market

Translations

Verb

niche (third-person singular simple present niches, present participle niching, simple past and past participle niched)

1. (transitive) To place in a niche.

   a niched vase

2. (transitive, marketing) To specialize in a niche, or particular narrow section of the market.
   • 2002, Frederick Betz, Executive Strategy (page 92)

     Product differentiation will be mostly limited to market niching and fashion.

Adjective

niche (comparative more niche, superlative most niche)

1. Pertaining to or intended for a market niche; having specific appeal.

Translations

See also

• niché

Anagrams

• Chien, chine, chiné

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from French niche, from Middle French niche, from Old French niche.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ni?/
• Hyphenation: ni?che

Noun

niche f (plural niches, diminutive nicheje n)

1. (especially in ecology and business) a niche

See also

• nis

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ni?/

Etymology 1

From Middle French niche, from Old French niche, from nichier (“make a nest”), from Latin n?dus (“nest”) (via a verb *n?dic?re).

Noun

niche f (plural niches)

1. niche
2. kennel (for dog)

Descendants

• ? Danish: niche
• ? Dutch: niche
• ? English: niche
• ? Macedonian: ???? (niša)
• ? Russian: ???? (niša)

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the main entry.

Verb

niche

1. first-person singular present indicative of nicher
2. third-person singular present indicative of nicher
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of nicher
4. third-person singular present subjunctive of nicher
5. second-person singular imperative of nicher

Further reading

• “niche” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• chien, chine, Chine, chiné

Norman

Etymology

From Old French niche, from nichier (“make a nest”), from Latin n?dus (“nest”).

Noun

niche f (plural niches)

1. (Jersey) kennel

Synonyms

• câniche

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?nit??e/, [?ni.t??e]

Noun

niche m (plural niches)

1. (Venezuela, slang, offensive) low-class

English

Alternative forms

• imploy (obsolete)

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French employer, from Latin implicare (“to infold, involve, engage”), from in (“in”) + plicare (“to fold”). Compare imply and implicate, which are doublets of employ .

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?m?pl??/, /?m?pl??/

• Rhymes: -??

Noun

employ (plural employs)

1. The state of being an employee; employment.
2. (obsolete) The act of employing someone or making use of something; employment.

Verb

employ (third-person singular simple present employs, present participle employing, simple past and past participle employed)

1. To hire (somebody for work or a job).
   • 1668 July 3rd, James Dalrymple, “Thomas Rue contra Andrew Hou?toun” in The Deci?ions of the Lords of Council & Se??ion I (Edinburgh, 1683), page 547

     Andrew Hou?toun and Adam Mu?het, being Tack?men of the Excize, did Imploy Thomas Rue to be their Collector, and gave him a Sallary of 30. pound Sterling for a year.
2. To use (somebody for a job, or something for a task).
   • 1598, William Shakespeare, Othello, Act 1, Scene iii:

     Valiant Othello, we must straight employ you / against the general enemy Ottoman.
3. To make busy.
   • 1598, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, Act 2, Scene viii:

     Let it not enter in your mind of love: / Be merry, and employ your chiefest thoughts / to courtship and such fair ostents of love / as shall conveniently become you there

Synonyms

• (to give someone work): hire
• (to put into use): apply, use, utilize

Derived terms

Translations

Further reading

• employ in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• employ in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• employ at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• polemy