subtlety

[suht-l-tee]

noun

plural

subtleties 

1. the state or quality of being subtle.

2. delicacy or nicety of character or meaning.

3. acuteness or penetration of mind; delicacy of discrimination.

4. a fine-drawn distinction; refinement of reasoning.

   the subtleties of logic.

5. something subtle.

6. 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.

subtlety

/ ˈsʌtəltɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being subtle; delicacy

2. a fine distinction or the ability to make such a distinction

3. something subtle

Other Word Forms

• hypersubtlety noun
• nonsubtlety noun
• oversubtlety noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of subtlety¹

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” ( subtile ) + -ty ²

Example Sentences

“I’ve never heard of her talking about something lamely or with any type of subtlety. When she feels something, she feels at 100%.”

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Far from the subtlety required before a camera, her powerful voice and exaggerated gestures fill the space -- and draw peals of laughter.

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Buffett spelled it out in his 2014 letter to Berkshire shareholders with all the subtlety of a divorce lawyer explaining alimony.

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Throughout the museum, scholarship was diminished and subtleties disappeared.

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Roe and Nechita, who don’t play their roles with any subtlety.

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Related Words

• elegance 
• intricacy