n. [ OE. nece, F. nièce, LL. neptia, for L. neptis a granddaughter, niece, akin to nepos. See Nephew. ] 1. A relative, in general; especially, a descendant, whether male or female; a granddaughter or a grandson. [ Obs. ] B. Jonson. Wyclif. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Especially: A daughter of one's brother or sister, or of one's brother-in-law or sister-in-law. In modern English, this is the primary meaning. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Neif, the fist. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who practices the style of ornamentation called niello. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ It. niello, LL. nigellum a black of blackish enamel, fr. L. nigellus, dim. of niger black. See Negro, and cf. Anneal. ] 1. A metallic alloy of a deep black color. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The art, process, or method of decorating metal with incised designs filled with the black alloy. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A piece of metal, or any other object, so decorated. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. An impression on paper taken from an ancient incised decoration or metal plate. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. An impression on paper taken from the engraved or incised surface before the niello alloy has been inlaid. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

(Photog.) A process, now no longer used, invented by J. N. Niepce, a French chemist, in 1829. It depends upon the action of light in rendering a thin layer of bitumen, with which the plate is coated, insoluble. [ Obsolescent ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]