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delicate
6 dictionary results for: delicate
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
del·i·cate       [del-i-kit] Pronunciation Key
–adjective
1.fine in texture, quality, construction, etc.: a delicate lace collar.
2.fragile; easily damaged; frail: delicate porcelain; a delicate child.
3.so fine as to be scarcely perceptible; subtle: a delicate flavor.
4.soft or faint, as color: a delicate shade of pink.
5.fine or precise in action or execution; capable of responding to the slightest influence: a delicate instrument.
6.requiring great care, caution, or tact: a delicate international situation.
7.distinguishing subtle differences: a delicate eye; a delicate sense of smell.
8.exquisite or refined in perception or feeling; sensitive.
9.regardful of what is becoming, proper, etc.: a delicate sense of propriety.
10.mindful of or sensitive to the feelings of others: a delicate refusal.
11.dainty or choice, as food: delicate tidbits.
12.primly fastidious; squeamish: not a movie for the delicate viewer.
13.Obsolete. sensuous; voluptuous.
–noun
14.Archaic. a choice food; delicacy.
15.Obsolete. a source of pleasure; luxury.
[Origin: 1325–75; ME delicat < L délicātus delightful, dainty; akin to delicious]

—Related forms
del·i·cate·ly, adverb
del·i·cate·ness, noun

—Synonyms 1. Delicate, dainty, exquisite imply beauty such as belongs to rich surroundings or which needs careful treatment. Delicate, used of an object, suggests fragility, small size, and often very fine workmanship: a delicate piece of carving. Dainty, in concrete references, suggests a smallness, gracefulness, and beauty that forbid rough handling: a dainty handkerchief; of persons, it refers to fastidious sensibilities: dainty in eating habits. Exquisite suggests an outstanding beauty and elegance, or a discriminating sensitivity and ability to perceive fine distinctions: an exquisite sense of humor. 2. tender, slight, weak. 5. exact, accurate. 6. critical, precarious. 7. discriminating, careful.
—Antonyms 1, 2. coarse. 3. hard, crude.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
del·i·cate       (děl'ĭ-kĭt)  Pronunciation Key 
adj.  
  1. Pleasing to the senses, especially in a subtle way: a delicate flavor; a delicate violin passage.
  2. Exquisitely fine or dainty: delicate china.
  3. Frail in constitution or health.
  4. Easily broken or damaged: a kite too delicate to fly.
  5. Marked by sensitivity of discrimination: a critic's delicate perception.
    1. Considerate of the feelings of others.
    2. Concerned with propriety.
    3. Squeamish or fastidious.
  7. Requiring tactful treatment: a delicate situation.
  8. Fine or soft in touch or skill: a surgeon's delicate touch.
  9. Measuring, indicating, or responding to very small changes; precise: a delicate set of scales.
  10. Very subtle in difference or distinction.


[Middle English delicat and French délicat, both from Latin dēlicātus, pleasing; akin to dēlicia, pleasure; see delicious.]

del'i·cate·ly adv., del'i·cate·ness n.
Synonyms: These adjectives mean appealing to refined taste: a delicate flavor; choice exotic flowers; a dainty dish; elegant handwriting; an exquisite wine; the finest embroidery. See Also Synonyms at fragile.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
delicate 
c.1374, from L. delicatus "alluring, delightful, dainty," also "addicted to pleasure," of unknown origin; related by folk etymology (and perhaps genuinely) to deliciæ "a pet," and delicere "to allure, entice." Meaning "feeble in constitution" is c.1400; that of "easily broken" is recorded from 1568. Delicacy "a dainty viand" is from 1450.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
delicate

adjective
1. exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury; "a delicate violin passage"; "delicate china"; "a delicate flavor"; "the delicate wing of a butterfly" [ant: rugged] 
2. marked by great skill especially in meticulous technique; "a surgeon's delicate touch" 
3. easily broken or damaged or destroyed; "a kite too delicate to fly safely"; "fragile porcelain plates"; "fragile old bones"; "a frail craft" 
4. easily hurt; "soft hands"; "a baby's delicate skin" 
5. developed with extreme delicacy and subtlety; "the satire touches with finespun ridicule every kind of human pretense" [syn: finespun] 
6. difficult to handle; requiring great tact; "delicate negotiations with the big powers";"hesitates to be explicit on so ticklish a matter"; "a touchy subject" 
7. of an instrument or device; capable of registering minute differences or changes precisely; "almost undetectable with even the most delicate instruments" 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Delicate

Del"i*cate\, a. [L. delicatus pleasing the senses, voluptuous, soft and tender; akin to deliciae delight: cf. F. d['e]licat. See Delight.]

1. Addicted to pleasure; luxurious; voluptuous; alluring. [R.]

Dives, for his delicate life, to the devil went. --Piers Plowman.

Haarlem is a very delicate town. --Evelyn.

2. Pleasing to the senses; refinedly agreeable; hence, adapted to please a nice or cultivated taste; nice; fine; elegant; as, a delicate dish; delicate flavor.

3. Slight and shapely; lovely; graceful; as, "a delicate creature." --Shak.

4. Fine or slender; minute; not coarse; -- said of a thread, or the like; as, delicate cotton.

5. Slight or smooth; light and yielding; -- said of texture; as, delicate lace or silk.

6. Soft and fair; -- said of the skin or a surface; as, a delicate cheek; a delicate complexion.

7. Light, or softly tinted; -- said of a color; as, a delicate blue.

8. Refined; gentle; scrupulous not to trespass or offend; considerate; -- said of manners, conduct, or feelings; as, delicate behavior; delicate attentions; delicate thoughtfulness.

9. Tender; not able to endure hardship; feeble; frail; effeminate; -- said of constitution, health, etc.; as, a delicate child; delicate health.

A delicate and tender prince. --Shak.

10. Requiring careful handling; not to be rudely or hastily dealt with; nice; critical; as, a delicate subject or question.

There are some things too delicate and too sacred to be handled rudely without injury to truth. --F. W. Robertson.

11. Of exacting tastes and habits; dainty; fastidious.

12. Nicely discriminating or perceptive; refinedly critical; sensitive; exquisite; as, a delicate taste; a delicate ear for music.

13. Affected by slight causes; showing slight changes; as, a delicate thermometer.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Delicate

Del"i*cate\, n. 1. A choice dainty; a delicacy. [R.]

With abstinence all delicates he sees. --Dryden.

2. A delicate, luxurious, or effeminate person.

All the vessels, then, which our delicates have, -- those I mean that would seem to be more fine in their houses than their neighbors, -- are only of the Corinth metal. --Holland.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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