# niche

Pronunciation: US say "NISH" /niʃ/; UK/AUS say "NEESH" /niːʃ/

## Noun

1. A position of opportunity that suits a person or business especially well, such as a particular section of a market.
   - Simple: A good spot or job that fits a person's skills or a business especially well.
   - _The startup spotted a niche in affordable repair services for older electric bikes._
   - _The company carved out a profitable niche selling eco-friendly cleaning products._
3. A shallow recess set into a wall, made to hold a statue, ornament or, in a columbarium, an urn of ashes.
   - Simple: A small hollow space in a wall, often made to hold a statue or ornament.
   - _The cathedral's facade held dozens of saints, each tucked into its own niche._
   - _A marble bust rested in a shallow niche above the fireplace._
4. A small, snug space or hollow, not necessarily in a wall, that a person or thing fits into well.
   - Simple: A small, cozy space that a person or thing fits into well.
   - _The old clock fit perfectly into a niche on the cluttered shelf._
   - _The hikers sheltered from the wind in a rocky niche just below the ridge._
5. The particular function an organism fills within an ecosystem and to which it is especially suited.
   - Simple: The special role and place an animal or plant has in nature.
   - _The woodpecker occupies a narrow niche, feeding on insects buried in tree bark._
   - _When a predator disappears, other species may expand into its vacated niche._

## Adjective

2. Intended for or appealing to a small, specialized group rather than the general public; obscure.
   - Simple: Made for a small group of people with special interests, not for everyone.
   - _The studio built its reputation on niche games that mainstream publishers ignored._
   - _Her taste in music has always been fairly niche._

## Verb

6. To set or place something into a recess or hollow.
   - Simple: To put something into a small hollow or recess.

## Other meanings

- (verb) To target a product or business at a particular narrow section of the market.
- (noun) A pointed design woven into a prayer rug, pointing toward the qibla, the direction of prayer toward Mecca.

## Origin

A borrowing from French niche, which probably traces back through Old French nichier ("to make a nest") to Vulgar Latin *nīdicāre and ultimately Latin nīdus ("nest"). On that account it is a doublet of nidus and nide, and is related to the English word "nest."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/niche (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).