نکما

Punjabi

Etymology

Inherited from Prakrit णिक्कम्म (ṇikkamma) + Middle Indo-Aryan -𑀓- (-ka-), from Sanskrit निष्कर्म (niṣkarma), from निस्- (nis-) + कर्म (karma).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Punjabi) IPA^(key): /nɪ.kəmːäː/, /nə.kəmːäː/
• Rhymes: -äː

Adjective

نِکَمّا • (nikammā) (Gurmukhi spelling ਨਿਕੱਮਾ)

1. unemployed, without work
2. (usually derogatory) useless, idle

   Synonyms: ویلھا (velhā), بے کار (be kār)

   اجّ کلھ اوہ بہت نِکمّا ہے۔

   ajj kal aoh bahaut nikammā ae.

   He is very idle these days.

Declension

Declension of نکما
	masculine			feminine
	singular	plural		singular	plural
direct	نِکَمّا (nikammā)	نِکَمّے (nikamme)		نِکَمّی (nikammī)	نِکَمِّیاں (nikammiyāṉ)
oblique	نِکَمّے (nikamme)	نِکَمّیاں (nikammeyāṉ)		نِکَمّی (nikammī)	نِکَمِّیاں (nikammiyāṉ)

Descendants

• Hindustani: nikammā

  → Hindi: निकम्मा

  → Urdu: نکما

References

• Singh, Bhai Maya (1895) “nikamma”, in The Panjabi Dictionary, Lahore: Munshi Gulab Singh and Sons, page 818.
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “niṣkarman”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 422

Urdu

Etymology

Borrowed from Punjabi نِکَمّا (nikammā). Doublet of نِکام (nikām).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Urdu) IPA^(key): /nɪ.kəm.mɑː/

Adjective

نِکَمَّہ • (nikamma) (Hindi spelling निकम्मा)

1. useless, worthless; unemployed, good-for-nothing; idle; unserviceable; without work

Synonyms

• بے کار (be kār)

References

• Platts, John T. (1884) “نکما”, in A dictionary of Urdu, classical Hindi, and English, London: W. H. Allen & Co., page 1149
• “نکما”, in ریخْتَہ لُغَت (rexta luġat) - Rekhta Dictionary [Urdu dictionary with meanings in Hindi & English], Noida, India: Rekhta Foundation, 2025.
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “niṣkarman”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 422