subtlety

[ suht-l-tee ]

noun

, plural sub·tle·ties.

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

/ ˈsʌtəltɪ /

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

Other Words From

• hyper·subtle·ty noun
• non·subtle·ty noun plural nonsubtleties
• over·subtle·ty noun plural oversubtleties

Word History and Origins

Origin of subtlety¹

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

Example Sentences

The staging of this number unfolds with butterfly subtlety on Tesshi Nakagawa’s Japanese-style set.

From Los Angeles Times

There’s no subtlety in what the results of the Electoral College tell us: This is a country where half the population is content in their hatred of women, of queer people, of brown and black people, of anyone who comes to the United States from a poorer country.

From Slate

Shorthand political labels for folk within a political party are often inadequate in capturing the subtlety of their outlook – but those who see themselves as centrist, or on the Left of the Conservative fold, find themselves without a flagbearer to pick from.

From BBC

“Even back when we were doing a read-through, I could tell that she got the subtlety of the lines and the different meanings. And what she can do with her face! For her to return again and again to what are quite emotional moments was just incredibly impressive in terms of her stamina and commitment.”

From Los Angeles Times

There is subtlety and nuance in each of these decisions, but they do collectively add up to a more Israel-sceptic posture than the last Conservative government adopted.

From BBC

Related Words

• elegance
• intricacy