subtlety

American  

[suht-l-tee] / ˈsʌt l ti /

noun

plural

subtleties

1. the state or quality of being subtle.

2. delicacy or nicety of character or meaning.

3. acuteness or penetration of mind; delicacy of discrimination.

4. a fine-drawn distinction; refinement of reasoning.

   the subtleties of logic.

5. something subtle.

6. History/Historical. an elaborate confection, ornate in construction and ornamentation, sometimes edible but more often made and used as a decoration for a table or buffet.

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subtlety British  

/ ˈsʌtəltɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being subtle; delicacy

2. a fine distinction or the ability to make such a distinction

3. something subtle

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Other Word Forms

• hypersubtlety noun
• nonsubtlety noun
• oversubtlety noun

Etymology

Origin of subtlety

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English subtelte, sutilte, from Old French sutilte, from Latin subtīlitāt-, stem of subtīlitās “fineness,” equivalent to subtīli(s) “fine, slender” ( subtile ) + -ty ²

Example Sentences

There’s no subtlety, but would you expect that from the director of the “Evil Dead” movies?

From Los Angeles Times

Because his commentary revolved around the subtleties of their texts, the discussion only began to make sense if you had read them with greater attention than seemed necessary in any other course.

From The Wall Street Journal

He didn’t notice—for even the wisest of the old forget, sometimes, the care and subtlety of the young—that Christopher had made no promise.

From Literature

It covers the tyranny of gender roles and the comfort of escaping into obsession, and Ms. Shaw is very good at inhabiting such perspectives, hinting at broader issues but favoring subtlety and suggestion.

From The Wall Street Journal

Perversely, it’s times like these, when subversion and subtlety are required, that creativity flourishes.

From Salon

Related Words

• elegance
• intricacy