Meaning

adjective not far distant in time or space or degree or circumstances

adjective being on the left side

adverb near in time or place or relationship

originEtymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂neḱ- Proto-Germanic *nēhwazder. Proto-Germanic *nēhw Proto-West Germanic *nāhw Old English nēah Middle English neygh English nigh Inherited from Middle English neygh, from Old English nēah, from Proto-West Germanic *nāhw, from Proto-Germanic *nēhw, from *nēhwaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂neḱ- (“to reach”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0