Definitions for delicate
ˈdɛl ɪ kɪtdel·i·cate

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. delicate(adj)

   exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury

   "a delicate violin passage"; "delicate china"; "a delicate flavor"; "the delicate wing of a butterfly"

2. delicate(adj)

   marked by great skill especially in meticulous technique

   "a surgeon's delicate touch"

3. delicate, fragile, frail(adj)

   easily broken or damaged or destroyed

   "a kite too delicate to fly safely"; "fragile porcelain plates"; "fragile old bones"; "a frail craft"

4. delicate, soft(adj)

   easily hurt

   "soft hands"; "a baby's delicate skin"

5. finespun, delicate(adj)

   developed with extreme delicacy and subtlety

   "the satire touches with finespun ridicule every kind of human pretense"

6. delicate, ticklish, touchy(adj)

   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. delicate(adj)

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

   "almost undetectable with even the most delicate instruments"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. delicate(Noun)

   A delicate item of clothing, especially underwear or lingerie.

   Don't put that in with your jeans: it's a delicate!

2. delicate(Noun)

   A choice dainty; a delicacy.

   With abstinence all delicates he sees. uE000104742uE001 Dryden.

3. delicate(Noun)

   A delicate, luxurious, or effeminate person.

   All the vessels, then, which our delicates have, uE000104743uE001 those I mean that would seem to be more fine in their houses than their neighbours, uE000104744uE001 are only of the Corinth metal. uE000104745uE001 Holland.

4. delicate(Adjective)

   Easily damaged or requiring careful handling.

5. delicate(Adjective)

   Characterized by a fine structure or thin lines.

6. delicate(Adjective)

   Intended for use with fragile items.

   Set the washing machine to the delicate cycle

7. delicate(Adjective)

   Of weak health, easily sick.

8. delicate(Adjective)

   Unwell, especially because of having drunk too much alcohol.

   Please don't speak so loudly - I'm feeling a bit delicate this morning

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Delicate(adj)

   addicted to pleasure; luxurious; voluptuous; alluring

   Etymology: [L. delicatus pleasing the senses, voluptuous, soft and tender; akin to deliciae delight: cf. F. dlicat. See Delight.]

2. Delicate(adj)

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

   Etymology: [L. delicatus pleasing the senses, voluptuous, soft and tender; akin to deliciae delight: cf. F. dlicat. See Delight.]

3. Delicate(adj)

   slight and shapely; lovely; graceful; as, "a delicate creature."

   Etymology: [L. delicatus pleasing the senses, voluptuous, soft and tender; akin to deliciae delight: cf. F. dlicat. See Delight.]

4. Delicate(adj)

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

   Etymology: [L. delicatus pleasing the senses, voluptuous, soft and tender; akin to deliciae delight: cf. F. dlicat. See Delight.]

5. Delicate(adj)

   slight or smooth; light and yielding; -- said of texture; as, delicate lace or silk

   Etymology: [L. delicatus pleasing the senses, voluptuous, soft and tender; akin to deliciae delight: cf. F. dlicat. See Delight.]

6. Delicate(adj)

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

   Etymology: [L. delicatus pleasing the senses, voluptuous, soft and tender; akin to deliciae delight: cf. F. dlicat. See Delight.]

7. Delicate(adj)

   light, or softly tinted; -- said of a color; as, a delicate blue

   Etymology: [L. delicatus pleasing the senses, voluptuous, soft and tender; akin to deliciae delight: cf. F. dlicat. See Delight.]

8. Delicate(adj)

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

   Etymology: [L. delicatus pleasing the senses, voluptuous, soft and tender; akin to deliciae delight: cf. F. dlicat. See Delight.]

9. Delicate(adj)

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

   Etymology: [L. delicatus pleasing the senses, voluptuous, soft and tender; akin to deliciae delight: cf. F. dlicat. See Delight.]

10. Delicate(adj)

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

    Etymology: [L. delicatus pleasing the senses, voluptuous, soft and tender; akin to deliciae delight: cf. F. dlicat. See Delight.]

11. Delicate(adj)

    of exacting tastes and habits; dainty; fastidious

    Etymology: [L. delicatus pleasing the senses, voluptuous, soft and tender; akin to deliciae delight: cf. F. dlicat. See Delight.]

12. Delicate(adj)

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

    Etymology: [L. delicatus pleasing the senses, voluptuous, soft and tender; akin to deliciae delight: cf. F. dlicat. See Delight.]

13. Delicate(adj)

    affected by slight causes; showing slight changes; as, a delicate thermometer

    Etymology: [L. delicatus pleasing the senses, voluptuous, soft and tender; akin to deliciae delight: cf. F. dlicat. See Delight.]

14. Delicate(noun)

    a choice dainty; a delicacy

    Etymology: [L. delicatus pleasing the senses, voluptuous, soft and tender; akin to deliciae delight: cf. F. dlicat. See Delight.]

15. Delicate(noun)

    a delicate, luxurious, or effeminate person

    Etymology: [L. delicatus pleasing the senses, voluptuous, soft and tender; akin to deliciae delight: cf. F. dlicat. See Delight.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Delicate

   del′i-kāt, adj. pleasing to the senses, esp. the taste: dainty: nicely discriminating or perceptive: of a fine, slight texture or constitution: tender: frail, not robust: requiring nice handling: refined in manners: gentle, polite, considerate: luxurious.—n. Del′icacy, state or quality of being delicate: refinement: nicety: tenderness, weakness: luxuriousness: anything delicate or dainty.—adv. Del′icately, in a delicate manner: (B.) luxuriously.—n. Del′icateness, state of being delicate: (B.) delicacy, luxury.—n.pl. Del′icates (B.), delicacies. [L. delicātus—deliciæ, allurements, luxury—delicĕre—de, inten., lacĕre, to entice.]

British National Corpus

1. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'delicate' in Adjectives Frequency: #676

How to pronounce delicate?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say delicate in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of delicate in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of delicate in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of delicate in a Sentence

1. Stephen Innes:

   (OPEC) sticking to their production curbs ... will continue to support oil prices as it remains the primary mechanism for the delicate task of keeping the market equilibrium intact.

2. Ari Fleischer:

   It's almost impossible for the White House to give firm answers because there's just too much you don't know, it's an extraordinarily delicate dance they have to do to not throw someone overboard, but not get anyone in the White House in deeper trouble.

3. Moses Ben Maimon Maimonides:

   Each person should see himself as though the entire world is on a delicate balance, and with one deed, he or she can tip the scales.

4. Edith Hamilton:

   Civilization...is a matter of imponderables, of delight in the thins of the mind, of love of beauty, of honor, grace, courtesy, delicate feeling. Where imponderables, are things of first importance, there is the height of civilization, and, if at the same time, the power of art exists unimpaired, human life has reached a level seldom attained and very seldom surpassed.

5. Jeanne Moreau:

   Acting deals with very delicate emotions. It is not putting up a mask. Each time an actor acts he does not hide he exposes himself.

Images & Illustrations of delicate

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