delicate

American  

[del-i-kit] / ˈdɛl ɪ kɪt /

adjective

1. fine in texture, quality, construction, etc..

   a delicate lace collar.

   Antonyms:

   coarse

2. easily broken or damaged; physically weak; fragile; frail.

   delicate porcelain;

   a delicate child.

   Synonyms:

   tender, slight, feeble, weak, frangible, flimsy, brittle

3. so fine as to be scarcely perceptible; subtle.

   a delicate flavor.

   Antonyms:

   strong, robust

4. soft or faint, as color.

   a delicate shade of pink.

5. fine or precise in action or execution; capable of responding to the slightest influence.

   a delicate instrument.

   Synonyms:

   true, accurate, precise, exact

6. requiring great care, caution, or tact.

   a delicate international situation.

   Synonyms:

   touchy, sensitive, tricky

7. distinguishing subtle differences: a delicate sense of smell.

   a delicate eye;

   a delicate sense of smell.

   Synonyms:

   perceptive, discriminating, discerning

8. exquisite or refined in perception or feeling; sensitive.

9. regardful of what is becoming, proper, etc..

   a delicate sense of propriety.

10. mindful of or sensitive to the feelings of others.

    a delicate refusal.

11. dainty or choice, as food.

    delicate tidbits.

12. primly fastidious; squeamish.

    not a movie for the delicate viewer.

13. Obsolete. sensuous; voluptuous.

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noun

1. Archaic. a choice food; delicacy.

2. Obsolete. a source of pleasure; luxury.

delicate British  

/ ˈdɛlɪkɪt /

adjective

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

2. having a soft or fragile beauty

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

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

5. precise, skilled, or sensitive in action or operation

   a delicate mechanism

6. requiring tact and diplomacy

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

8. excessively refined; squeamish

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noun

1. archaic a delicacy; dainty

Related Words

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 Word Forms

• delicately adverb
• delicateness noun
• hyperdelicate adjective
• hyperdelicateness noun
• nondelicate adjective
• nondelicateness noun
• quasi-delicate adjective
• superdelicate adjective
• superdelicateness noun

Etymology

Origin of delicate

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English delicat, from Latin dēlicātus “delightful, dainty”; akin to delicious

Example Sentences

For the movie’s title song, Bentley said Cave was the only person he could imagine striking the right tone: a delicate blend of weariness and gratitude.

From Los Angeles Times

They were as white as eggshells and looked just as delicate.

From Literature

These systems are designed to protect delicate quantum information and continue operating reliably despite errors and noise -- the holy grail of quantum information processing.

From Science Daily

Researchers point to improved resolution techniques -- such as the recent development of the holographic quantum microscope, which allows obtaining images of delicate biological samples -- along with extremely sensitive sensors that rely on quantum correlations.

From Science Daily

Qubits are extremely fragile, and the slightest changes in the environment can disrupt their delicate quantum state.

From Barron's

Related Words

• delicious
• delightful
• elegant
• exquisite
• fragile
• gentle
• graceful
• mild
• rare
• soft
• subtle
• tender