fineness of texture, quality, etc.; softness; daintiness: the delicacy of lace.
2.
something delightful or pleasing, esp. a choice food considered with regard to its rarity, costliness, or the like: Caviar is a great delicacy.
3.
the quality of being easily broken or damaged; fragility.
4.
the quality of requiring or involving great care or tact: negotiations of great delicacy.
5.
extreme sensitivity; precision of action or operation; minute accuracy: the delicacy of a skillful surgeon's touch; a watch mechanism of unusual delicacy.
6.
fineness of perception or feeling; sensitiveness: the delicacy of the pianist's playing.
7.
fineness of feeling with regard to what is fitting, proper, etc.: Delicacy would not permit her to be rude.
8.
sensitivity with regard to the feelings of others: She criticized him with such delicacy that he was not offended.
9.
bodily weakness; liability to sickness; frailty.
10.
Linguistics. (esp. in systemic linguistics) the degree of minuteness pursued at a given stage of analysis in specifying distinctions in linguistic description.
Dain"ty\, n.; pl. Dainties. [OE. deinie, dainte, deintie, deyntee, OF. deinti['e] delicacy, orig., dignity, honor, fr. L. dignitas, fr. dignus worthy. See Deign, and cf. Dignity.]1. Value; estimation; the gratification or pleasure taken in anything. [Obs.] I ne told no deyntee of her love. --Chaucer. 2. That which is delicious or delicate; a delicacy. That precious nectar may the taste renew Of Eden's dainties, by our parents lost. --Beau. & Fl. 3. A term of fondness. [Poetic] --B. Jonson. Syn: Dainty, Delicacy. Usage: These words are here compared as denoting articles of food. The term delicacy as applied to a nice article of any kind, and hence to articles of food which are particularly attractive. Dainty is stronger, and denotes some exquisite article of cookery. A hotel may be provided with all the delicacies of the season, and its table richly covered with dainties. These delicacies I mean of taste, sight, smell, herbs, fruits, and flowers, Walks and the melody of birds. --Milton. [A table] furnished plenteously with bread, And dainties, remnants of the last regale. --Cowper.
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Audio Help [del-i-kuh-see] Pronunciation Key 
