niche
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a specific area of interest or a small, specialized market for a product.
n.a specialized segment of the market for a particular kind of product or service.
Simple“The company found a profitable niche selling organic food for parrots.”
In context“By focusing on high-end artisanal stationery, the small business successfully carved out a niche in an increasingly digital marketplace.”
Antonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a job or activity that is very suitable for you.
n.a position or activity that particularly suits somebody's talents and personality.
Simple“After years of searching, he finally found his niche as a high school teacher.”
In context“She struggled in corporate law but eventually found her niche working for a non-profit environmental advocacy group.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.the specific role or position an animal or plant has in its environment.
n.the specific functional role and position of an organism or population within an ecosystem.
Simple“Each bird species in the forest occupies a different ecological niche.”
In context“The introduction of invasive species often disrupts the delicate balance of the local ecosystem by competing for the same ecological niche.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
n.a small hollow space in a wall, often used for a statue or decoration.
n.a shallow decorative recess or hollow in a wall, typically used for displaying a statue, bust, or ornament.
Simple“The marble statue stood in a small niche near the entrance of the museum.”
In context“The architect designed several arched niches along the hallway to showcase the client's collection of classical sculptures.”
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.describing something that appeals to a small, specialized group of people.
adj.denoting or relating to products, services, or interests that appeal to a small, specialized section of the population.
Simple“He listens to a niche genre of electronic music that few people know.”
In context“The magazine caters to a niche audience of vintage watch collectors and horological historians.”
Synonyms - 06 C2 Proficiency
v.to focus on a very specific or narrow area of a market.
v.to specialize in a particular narrow section of the market or a specific functional area.
Simple“The law firm decided to niche down and only handle patent cases.”
In context“In a crowded industry, many consultants choose to niche their services to command higher fees from specific client types.”
SynonymsAntonyms
“For now, electric motorcycles remain a niche option in Gombe.”
“Photograph: Trunk Records Within a niche community, wrappers can exchange hands for £30 to £150 each.”
Unadapted borrowing from French niche, from Middle French niche, from Old French niche, from nicher (“to make a nest”) (modern French nicher), from Vulgar Latin *nīdicāre, from Latin nīdus (“nest”). Doublet of nidus and nide via Latin and nest via Proto-Indo-European; also related to nyas.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.