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View synonyms for

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

/ ˈʌəɪ /

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
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • p·ܲt·ٲ noun
  • ԴDz·ܲt·ٲ noun plural nonsubtleties
  • v·ܲt·ٲ noun plural oversubtleties
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Word History and Origins

Origin of subtlety1

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English subtelte, sutilte, from Old French sutilte, from Latin ܲī-, stem of ܲī “fineness,” equivalent to ܲī() “fine, slender” ( subtile ) + -ty 2
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“The Golden Hour” is an attempt to preserve ambiguity and strangeness in the face of a culture that’s strangled subtlety.

From

Kaitlyn’s mother was an immigrant from Vietnam — scrappy and apparently well-versed in the subtleties of the IRS’ cash deposit policy.

From

The science of asymptomatic transmission is related to subtleties of the host-pathogen interaction and, in particular, to features that differ from one individual to another.

From

The range of expression required from him on “Dennis the Menace” was not wide, and subtlety was never the point of the show.

From

Donald Trump strode into the Rose Garden Wednesday with the elegance and subtlety of a sledgehammer.

From

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