Meaning of nice-nellyism | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Prudishness or excessive modesty.
   uncountable, usually
2. A euphemism; an act or expression of prudishness or excessive modesty.
   countable

Examples

“He was a co-founder of the Indianapolis Chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous. ¶ His obituary in the Indianapolis Star said that he himself was not an alcoholic. ¶ This denial was at least partly a nice-Nellyism from the past, I think.”

CEFR level