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I need a noun for an adjective "neat" (or "cool") in the slang meaning "terrific". My logic tells me to use "neatness", but dictionaries don't seem to list the slang meaning for it. I don't mind any synonym, as long as it's short and commonly used.

It's intended to be used in a "programming equation": XAML − XML.verbosity + JSON.neatness, where verbosity is a property of XML, and JSON language is more readable and concise.

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  • Neatness sounds like a good word for a closet – but not in the way you mean. I think you should provide an example of how you'd use the word; when such words are used as slang for "terrific", they're often used as interjections, so I'm having trouble figuring out why you'd need a noun specifically. Otherwise, I might suggest one a neighbor used to often say (usually slowly, with a tad of awe in his voice): neat-o frito.
    – J.R.
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 8:52
  • I would understand "this is really neat, the neatness of it is high" but it is not something I have seen before
    – mplungjan
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 8:56
  • @J.R. It's intended to be used in a "programming equation": XAML − XML.verbosity + JSON.neatness, where verbosity is a property of XML, and JSON language is more readable and concise. :)
    – Athari
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 9:09
  • @Athari: you might want to include that information in the question with an edit, as opposed to answering my query in a comment. (As a side note, it looks like that rules out neat-o frito). Armed with that new information, however, I might suggest readability.
    – J.R.
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 9:12
  • @Athari Curiosity, what do you get when you remove the verbosity of XML and add back in JSON's consciseness and readability?
    – tanantish
    Commented Jan 8, 2013 at 12:40

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You've already got concise and readable, both which work nicely if you want those particular qualities, but an alternative to try capture the "it's rather nicely designed, and thought out, and well, just kind of neat!" might be elegant giving you:

(XAML − XML.verbosity + JSON.elegance)

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To convey the thought of "neat" as in "that's neat!", these nouns are synonymous, though not all may be still in vogue:

  • Hip
  • Hiptitude
  • Cool
  • Awesome
  • Far Out
  • Groovy
  • Gnarly
  • Boss
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