Niski

Niski is a Polish adjective meaning low, short, or small, used to describe height, level, or amount, as well as in figurative expressions such as niski poziom (low level) or niska temperatura (low temperature). In Polish, the word agrees with the gender and number of the noun it modifies: masculine singular is niski, feminine singular is niska, neuter singular is niskie, with corresponding plural forms for different noun classes. Examples include niski człowiek (a short man), niska kobieta (a short woman), niskie budynki (low buildings), and niska temperatura (low temperature).

Niski also appears as a surname in Polish. The surname Niski is typically of Polish origin and may derive from a nickname describing someone with short stature or from a toponymic source related to low-lying geography or place names containing the root nis-.

Geographically, Niski functions as a root in Polish toponyms and may appear as part of place names that indicate lowland or downslope features. While not a widely used standalone geographic name in the sense of a major location, the root occurs in multiple local names reflecting the meaning of low or low-lying terrain.

In linguistic terms, niski is cognate with similar Slavic adjectives meaning low or low-lying. Related forms appear across Slavic languages, such as Russian nizkiy (низкий), Czech nízký, Slovak nízky, and Ukrainian nyzkyi, all sharing the same basic sematic field. The term remains common in everyday Polish, as well as in names and surnames derived from descriptive or topographic origins.