delicate

[ del-i-kit ]

/ ˈdɛl ɪ kɪt /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR delicate ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

fine in texture, quality, construction, etc.: a delicate lace collar.

fragile; easily damaged; frail: delicate porcelain; a delicate child.

so fine as to be scarcely perceptible; subtle: a delicate flavor.

soft or faint, as color: a delicate shade of pink.

fine or precise in action or execution; capable of responding to the slightest influence: a delicate instrument.

requiring great care, caution, or tact: a delicate international situation.

distinguishing subtle differences: a delicate eye; a delicate sense of smell.

exquisite or refined in perception or feeling; sensitive.

regardful of what is becoming, proper, etc.: a delicate sense of propriety.

mindful of or sensitive to the feelings of others: a delicate refusal.

dainty or choice, as food: delicate tidbits.

primly fastidious; squeamish: not a movie for the delicate viewer.

Obsolete. sensuous; voluptuous.

noun

Archaic. a choice food; delicacy.

Obsolete. a source of pleasure; luxury.

Origin of delicate

1325–75; Middle English delicat < Latin dēlicātus delightful, dainty; akin to delicious

SYNONYMS FOR delicate

2 tender, slight, weak.

5 exact, accurate.

6 critical, precarious.

7 discriminating, careful.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR delicate ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR delicate

1, 2 coarse.

3 hard, crude.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR delicate ON THESAURUS.COM

synonym study for delicate

1. Delicate, dainty, exquisite imply beauty such as belongs to rich surroundings or which needs careful treatment. Delicate, used of an object, suggests fragility, small size, and often very fine workmanship: a delicate piece of carving. Dainty, in concrete references, suggests a smallness, gracefulness, and beauty that forbid rough handling: a dainty handkerchief; of persons, it refers to fastidious sensibilities: dainty in eating habits. Exquisite suggests an outstanding beauty and elegance, or a discriminating sensitivity and ability to perceive fine distinctions: an exquisite sense of humor.

OTHER WORDS FROM delicate

del·i·cate·ly, adverb del·i·cate·ness, noun hy·per·del·i·cate, adjective hy·per·del·i·cate·ly, adverb

hy·per·del·i·cate·ness, noun non·del·i·cate, adjective non·del·i·cate·ly, adverb non·del·i·cate·ness, noun qua·si-del·i·cate, adjective qua·si-del·i·cate·ly, adverb su·per·del·i·cate, adjective su·per·del·i·cate·ly, adverb su·per·del·i·cate·ness, noun

Words nearby delicate

deliberate, deliberation, deliberative, delibes, delicacy, delicate, delicatessen, delicia, delicious, delict, delight

Example sentences from the Web for delicate

The scenes between Johansson and Adam Pearson, a man with neurofibromatosis, are some of the most delicate and visceral this year.

Oscars 2015: The Daily Beast’s Picks, From Scarlett Johansson to ‘Boyhood’ |Marlow Stern |January 6, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
She used electrolysis to banish the prickly hair from her delicate face.

Inside A Finishing School for Transwomen |Sharon Adarlo |December 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
It's about the delicate fabric of the universe and how our fragile insides crumble when that fabric is torn.

Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days |David Freeman |December 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
For those with a predilection for immaculately fine and delicate paintings by Botticelli, his Madonna of the Book will satisfy.

The Virgin Mary Lookbook |William O’Connor |December 7, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Its spine, too, “‘hubbed’ as the most prized European classics are,” is decorated with delicate gold squiggles and a star.

Rand Paul’s Many Leather-Bound Books |Olivia Nuzzi |November 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
He bent his head down to the delicate little face at his side, and his tones were changed.

The Grandchildren of the Ghetto |Israel Zangwill
Whatever his causes of complaint, they were of too delicate and secret a nature for seconds, bullets, and newspaper paragraphs!

Alice, or The Mysteries, Complete |Edward Bulwer-Lytton
He was short rather than tall, his hand was delicate, his foot slender and elegant.

The Companions of Jehu |Alexandre Dumas, pre
Could I lie here in bed, and let that delicate little thing work for me out there in the kitchen?

Rico and Wiseli |Johanna Spyri
Goethe, who was an experienced courtier, understood the delicate hint, and stepped back from the table.

Napoleon and the Queen of Prussia |L. Mhlbach,

British Dictionary definitions for delicate

delicate

/ (ˈdɛlɪkɪt) /

adjective

exquisite, fine, or subtle in quality, character, construction, etc

having a soft or fragile beauty

(of colour, tone, taste, etc) pleasantly subtle, soft, or faint

easily damaged or injured; lacking robustness, esp in health; fragile

precise, skilled, or sensitive in action or operation a delicate mechanism

requiring tact and diplomacy

sensitive in feeling or manner; showing regard for the feelings of others

excessively refined; squeamish

noun

archaic a delicacy; dainty

Derived forms of delicate

delicately, adverb delicateness, noun

Word Origin for delicate

C14: from Latin dēlicātus affording pleasure, from dēliciae (pl) delight, pleasure; see delicious

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

delicate

adjective

noun

Origin of delicate

SYNONYMS FOR delicate

ANTONYMS FOR delicate

synonym study for delicate

OTHER WORDS FROM delicate

Words nearby delicate

Example sentences from the Web for delicate

British Dictionary definitions for delicate

adjective

noun

Derived forms of delicate

Word Origin for delicate

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

delicate

adjective

noun

Origin of delicate

SYNONYMS FOR delicate

ANTONYMS FOR delicate

synonym study for delicate

OTHER WORDS FROM delicate

Words nearby delicate

Words related to delicate

Example sentences from the Web for delicate

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for delicate

adjective

noun

Derived forms of delicate

Word Origin for delicate

British Dictionary definitions for delicate