English Meaning & Definitions
Very fine in texture or structure; of intricate workmanship or quality.
- โThe antique veil was made of delicate hand-woven lace.โ
- โThe artist captured the delicate patterns of the butterfly's wings.โ
Easily broken, damaged, or injured; fragile.
- โPlease be careful when moving those delicate porcelain figurines.โ
- โThe ecological balance of the coral reef is extremely delicate.โ
Requiring sensitive handling or great tact due to the potential for offense or difficulty.
- โThe negotiator handled the delicate diplomatic situation with impressive skill.โ
- โI have a delicate question to ask you regarding your family history.โ
Subtle and pleasant in flavor, color, or smell.
- โThe wine has a delicate hint of peach and honeysuckle.โ
- โThe walls were painted a delicate shade of pale blue.โ
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for โdelicateโ.
Derived from the Middle English 'delicat', which comes from the Latin 'delicatus' meaning 'alluring, delightful, or dainty'. It is closely related to 'deliciae' (pleasure or delight) and the verb 'lacere' (to entice). Historically, the word evolved from describing things that were pleasing to the senses to describing things that are fragile, fine, or requiring tactful handling.
Think of a 'deli' serving 'cat' foodโit sounds strange, but it would have to be very fine and 'delicate' for a picky cat.
Frequently Asked Questions About โdelicateโ
1. What is the meaning of โdelicateโ in English?
In English, delicate (adjective) is defined as: โVery fine in texture or structure; of intricate workmanship or quality.โ.
2. How do you use โdelicateโ in a sentence?
โThe antique veil was made of delicate hand-woven lace.โ
3. What are English synonyms of โdelicateโ?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of โdelicateโ?
Derived from the Middle English 'delicat', which comes from the Latin 'delicatus' meaning 'alluring, delightful, or dainty'. It is closely related to 'deliciae' (pleasure or delight) and the verb 'lacere' (to entice). Historically, the word evolved from describing things that were pleasing to the senses to describing things that are fragile, fine, or requiring tactful handling.
๐ฌ๐งMore English Words to English
View all English words โThe base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.