subtle
Americanadjective
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thin, tenuous, or rarefied, as a fluid or an odor.
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fine or delicate in meaning or intent; difficult to perceive or understand.
subtle irony.
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delicate or faint and mysterious.
a subtle smile.
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requiring mental acuteness, penetration, or discernment.
a subtle philosophy.
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characterized by mental acuteness or penetration.
a subtle understanding.
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cunning, wily, or crafty.
a subtle liar.
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insidious in operation.
subtle poison.
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skillful, clever, or ingenious.
a subtle painter.
adjective
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not immediately obvious or comprehensible
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difficult to detect or analyse, often through being delicate or highly refined
a subtle scent
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showing or making or capable of showing or making fine distinctions of meaning
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marked by or requiring mental acuteness or ingenuity; discriminating
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delicate or faint
a subtle shade
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cunning or wily
a subtle rogue
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operating or executed in secret
a subtle intrigue
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of subtle
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English sotil, from Old French, from Latin subtīlis “subtile” (the b of modern spelling is from Latin ); see subtile
Explanation
Something that is subtle is not obvious: a professional food taster might be able to perceive subtle differences of flavor that most people don't notice. Subtle is used for things that are hard to describe because of their complexity or delicacy: a way of thinking, arguing, or creating a work of art. The word is pronounced like "suttle" and it was originally spelled that way when it was borrowed from Old French, but the b got imported to make the word look more like its ultimate source, the Latin adjective subtilis. But don't pronounce the b — that won't be very subtle!
Vocabulary lists containing subtle
100 Top "SAT" Words
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Latin Root "sub" Words
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The Silent Treatment: Words Plagued by Silent Letters
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Appeared in the June 10, 2026, print edition as 'Enduring a Subtle Sonic Plague'.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
Subtle localization—without tarnishing the brands’ global image—has been central to recent success, analysts told Barron’s.
From Barron's • Mar. 7, 2026
Kirsten Menger-Anderson’s new book, “The Expert of Subtle Revisions,” does just that, while exploring the way history is perforce affected by how it is told and who does the telling.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 14, 2025
Subtle genetic differences not linked to a high risk of blood cancer were present in more of the frequent-donor group - but because healthier people tend to give blood, this skews the picture.
From BBC • Mar. 11, 2025
Subtle: just browns and yellows and hints of pale blue, but stitched with an attention to detail good enough for the king himself.
From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
