¹neat

The English word neat can be traced back to a Latin adjective nitidus that meant “shining,” “bright,” or “clear.” The French word net that came from this Latin word had the same meanings and came into English as neat. English neat at first meant “bright” or “clean.” Later it was used to mean “simple and in good taste,” “skillful,” and “tidy.”

neat, tidy, and trim mean showing care and a concern for order. neat is used when something is clean in addition to being orderly. <Your clothes should always be neat.> tidy is used for something that is continually kept orderly and neat. <I work hard to keep my room tidy.> trim is used when something is orderly and compact. <They live in trim, comfortable houses.>