indelicate

[ in-del-i-kit ]
See synonyms for: indelicateindelicateness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. offensive to a sense of generally accepted propriety, modesty, or decency; improper, unrefined, or coarse: indelicate language.

  2. not delicate; lacking delicacy; rough.

Origin of indelicate

1
First recorded in 1735–45; in-3 + delicate

Other words for indelicate

Other words from indelicate

  • in·del·i·cate·ly, adverb
  • in·del·i·cate·ness, noun

Words Nearby indelicate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use indelicate in a sentence

  • He dimly comprehended, too, that her presence was an indelicate intrusion, but her intentions were so good!

    Sevenoaks | J. G. Holland
  • Such a demand, indelicate in its simplest form, had been further aggravated by a respectful but clear ultimatum.

    Murder in Any Degree | Owen Johnson

British Dictionary definitions for indelicate

indelicate

/ (ɪnˈdɛlɪkɪt) /


adjective
  1. coarse, crude, or rough

  2. offensive, embarrassing, or tasteless

Derived forms of indelicate

  • indelicacy or indelicateness, noun
  • indelicately, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012