English dictionary



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English adjective: delicate

1. delicate exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury


SamplesA delicate violin passage.
Delicate china.
A delicate flavor.
The delicate wing of a butterfly.


Similardainty, ethereal, exquisite, fragile, gossamer, light-handed, overdelicate, pastel, tender


See alsobreakable, frail, weak


Attributestrength


Antonymsrugged

2. delicate marked by great skill especially in meticulous technique


SamplesA surgeon's delicate touch.


Similarskilled


Antonymsunskilled

3. delicate easily broken or damaged or destroyed


SamplesA kite too delicate to fly safely.
Fragile porcelain plates.
Fragile old bones.
A frail craft.


Synonymsfragile, frail


Similarbreakable


Antonymsunbreakable

4. delicate easily hurt


SamplesSoft hands.
A baby's delicate skin.


Synonymssoft


Similartender, untoughened


Antonymstoughened, tough

5. delicate developed with extreme delicacy and subtlety


SamplesThe satire touches with finespun ridicule every kind of human pretense.


Synonymsfinespun


Similarrefined


Antonymsunrefined

6. delicate difficult to handle; requiring great tact


SamplesDelicate negotiations with the big powers.
Hesitates to be explicit on so ticklish a matter.
A touchy subject.


Synonymsticklish, touchy


Similardifficult, hard


Antonymseasy

7. delicate of an instrument or device; capable of registering minute differences or changes precisely


SamplesAlmost undetectable with even the most delicate instruments.


Similarsensitive


Antonymsinsensitive









Based on WordNet 3.0 copyright © Princeton University.
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