Lewis & Short

nĭtĭdus, a, um, adj. [niteo], shining, glittering, bright, polished, clear (class.; syn.: splendidus, lautus).

  1. I. Lit.: facite, sultis, nitidae ut aedes meae sint, Plaut. Stich. 1, 2, 8: in picturis alios horrida, inculta … contra alios nitida, laeta delectant, Cic. Or. 11, 36: nitidus juventā (anguis), Verg. G. 3, 437: caesaries, id. ib. 4, 337: caput solis, id. ib. 1, 467: ebur, Ov. M. 2, 3: aries nitidissimus auro, id. F. 3, 867: aether, Val. Fl. 3, 467: pisces, with gleaming scales, Ov. M. 1, 74: cujus turbavit nitidos exstinctus passer ocellos, Juv. 6, 8.
    1. B. Transf.
      1. 1. Of animals, sleek, plump, fat: jumenta, Nep. Eum. 5, 6.
      2. 2. Of persons, well-conditioned, well-favored, healthy-looking: me pinguem et nitidum bene curatā cute vises, Hor. Ep. 1, 4, 15.
        So, nitidis sensibus haurire aliquid, with fresh, unblunted, unsated senses, Claud. Cons. Mall. Theod. 193.
      3. 3. Good-looking, handsome, beautiful, neat, elegant, spruce, trim: nimis nitida femina, Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 12; id. Aul. 3, 6, 4: quos pexo capillo nitidos videtis, Cic. Cat. 2, 10, 22: ex nitido fit rusticus, Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 83: villae, id. ib. 1, 15, 46: nitidioris vitae instrumenta, Plin. 13, 16, 30, § 100.
      4. 4. Of fields and plants, blooming, fertile, luxuriant: nitidae fruges arbustaque laeta, Lucr. 2, 594: campi nitidissimi viridissimique, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 18, § 47: nitidissima arboris pars, Plin. 17, 14, 24, § 104.
        Poet.: nitidissimus annus, rich, fertile, Ov. F. 5, 265.
      5. 5. Of the wrestling ring, in allusion to the oil with which the wrestlers’ bodies were anointed: palaestrae, Mart. 4, 8, 5.
  2. II. Trop., cultivated, polished, refined: nitidum quoddam genus verborum et laetum, Cic. de Or. 1, 18, 81: verba nitidiora, id. Part. 5, 17: Isocrates nitidus et comptus, Quint. 10, 1, 79: Messala, id. 1, 7, 35: oratio, id. 8, 3, 18; 49; orator, id. 12, 10, 78: nitida et curata vox, id. 11, 3, 26: hilares nitidique vocantur, Juv. 11, 178: vita nitidior, Plin. 13, 16, 30, § 100.
    Hence, adv.: nĭtĭdē, splendidly, brightly, beautifully, magnificently: ut nitide nitet, Plaut. Truc. 2, 4, 3: cenare nitide, id. Cas. 3, 6, 19; cf. id. Cist. 1, 1, 11.