delicacy

American  

[del-i-kuh-see] / ˈdɛl ɪ kə si /

noun

• delicacies
  plural

1. fineness of texture, quality, etc.; softness; daintiness.

   the delicacy of lace.

   Antonyms:

   coarseness

2. something delightful or pleasing, especially a choice food considered with regard to its rarity, costliness, or the like.

   Caviar is a great delicacy.

3. the quality of being easily broken or damaged; fragility.

4. the quality of requiring or involving great care or tact.

   negotiations of great delicacy.

5. extreme sensitivity; precision of action or operation; minute accuracy.

   the delicacy of a skillful surgeon's touch; a watch mechanism of unusual delicacy.

   Synonyms:

   discrimination, sensitivity, circumspection, consideration, prudence

6. fineness of perception or feeling; sensitiveness.

   the delicacy of the pianist's playing.

   Antonyms:

   coarseness

7. fineness of feeling with regard to what is fitting, proper, etc..

   Delicacy would not permit her to be rude.

8. sensitivity with regard to the feelings of others.

   She criticized him with such delicacy that he was not offended.

9. bodily weakness; liability to sickness; frailty.

10. Linguistics. (especially in systemic linguistics) the degree of minuteness pursued at a given stage of analysis in specifying distinctions in linguistic description.

11. Obsolete. sensuous indulgence; luxury.

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delicacy British  

/ ˈdɛlɪkəsɪ /

noun

1. fine or subtle quality, character, construction, etc

   delicacy of craftsmanship

2. fragile, soft, or graceful beauty

3. something that is considered choice to eat, such as caviar

4. fragile construction or constitution; frailty

5. refinement of feeling, manner, or appreciation

   the delicacy of the orchestra's playing

6. fussy or squeamish refinement, esp in matters of taste, propriety, etc

7. need for tactful or sensitive handling

8. accuracy or sensitivity of response or operation, as of an instrument

9. (in systemic grammar) the level of detail at which a linguistic description is made; the degree of fine distinction in a linguistic description

10. obsolete gratification, luxury, or voluptuousness

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• hyperdelicacy
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• delicacies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of delicacy

First recorded in 1325–75, delicacy is from the Middle English word delicasie. See delicate, -cy

Explanation

A ballerina's quick, perfect steps? An antique porcelain teacup? A tiny sentence etched inside a silver locket? All of these have delicacy, or fineness that comes from being light, beautiful, or small. A delicacy can also be a prized dish that is eaten on special occasions or is especially loved by those in a certain culture or place. But what is a delicacy to some (chocolate-covered crickets, anyone?) might disgust others. Remember to use delicacy, or tact, in turning down someone else's delicacies. This could help you avoid hurting someone's feelings.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

delicacy delicacies

It made him appreciate the delicacy of life on our planet in the way astronomer Carl Sagan once did when speaking of the Pale Blue Dot photograph.

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026

But when Kore-eda’s execution isn’t as assured, as is the case with his latest, all that delicacy simply floats off into the ether, rarely amounting to much more than a halfhearted shrug.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

Their meat is a delicacy widely eaten locally, while their fins command high prices in international markets.

From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026

I have never ordered the delicacy even during that caviar bump trend, but when in Rome…

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

Burr’s response was incisively curt: “having Considered it attentively,” he wrote, “I regret to find in it nothing of that sincerity and delicacy which you profess to Value.”

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

On its menu are wines from Stellenbosch, delicacies like bobotie, a sweet and savory casserole, and creative-fusion dishes like oxtail tacos.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026

It features plenty of glistening seafood, market produce and local delicacies, alongside Tucci telling the story of a people for whom family and rituals hold communities together.

From BBC ● May 9, 2026

Chris, it turns out, has given up his career as an administrative lawyer for a life of fine dining and epicurean delicacies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2026

The insects are considered aphrodisiacs, delicacies and pets, said defence lawyer David Lusweti Namai.

From Barron's ● Mar. 17, 2026

All year, the Capitol will show the winning district gifts of grain and oil and even delicacies like sugar while the rest of us battle starvation.

From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

Related Words

• elegance
• fragility
• lightness
• subtlety
• tenderness