subtlety
Americannoun
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the state or quality of being subtle.
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delicacy or nicety of character or meaning.
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acuteness or penetration of mind; delicacy of discrimination.
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a fine-drawn distinction; refinement of reasoning.
the subtleties of logic.
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something subtle.
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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.
noun
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the state or quality of being subtle; delicacy
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a fine distinction or the ability to make such a distinction
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something subtle
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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” ( see subtile) + -ty 2
Explanation
Subtlety is the quality of being understated, delicate, or nuanced. You can really appreciate the subtlety of your gothic friend's art if you can distinguish among many different shades of black. The Latin root of subtle and subtlety originally meant "finely woven" and was used to describe fabric. The subtlety of an argument is in the fine weave of the words and thoughts that it is made up of. When translating, you often lose the subtleties of the original language, the interlacing of word, idea and connotation. When you're trying to persuade your parents of something, subtlety might get you further than outright demands.
Vocabulary lists containing subtlety
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
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The Tempest
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Norse Mythology
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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.
Subtlety has never been a Ryan Murphy signature, so not even the food porn in “Grotesquerie” offers a safe harbor.
From Salon • Oct. 4, 2024
Subtlety is not a prevailing virtue, particularly when comedy and villainy collide.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 15, 2024
Subtlety has never been a strong Birch tradition.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 21, 2024
Subtlety is a trademark for Roy, whose novels have been praised and prized for their understated elegance.
From New York Times • Jul. 5, 2022
Subtlety, she had discovered, was thrown away upon the obtuseness of Rust.
From The Lost Naval Papers by Copplestone, Bennet
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.
