subtle

[ suht-l ]

adjective

, sub·tler, sub·tlest.

1. thin, tenuous, or rarefied, as a fluid or an odor.
2. fine or delicate in meaning or intent; difficult to perceive or understand:

   subtle irony.

3. delicate or faint and mysterious:

   a subtle smile.

4. requiring mental acuteness, penetration, or discernment:

   a subtle philosophy.

5. characterized by mental acuteness or penetration:

   a subtle understanding.

6. cunning, wily, or crafty:

   a subtle liar.

   Synonyms: slick, foxy, tricky, sly

7. insidious in operation:

   subtle poison.

8. skillful, clever, or ingenious:

   a subtle painter.

subtle

/ ˈsʌtəl /

adjective

1. not immediately obvious or comprehensible
2. difficult to detect or analyse, often through being delicate or highly refined

   a subtle scent

3. showing or making or capable of showing or making fine distinctions of meaning
4. marked by or requiring mental acuteness or ingenuity; discriminating
5. delicate or faint

   a subtle shade

6. cunning or wily

   a subtle rogue

7. operating or executed in secret

   a subtle intrigue

Derived Forms

• ˈsubtleness, noun
• ˈsubtly, adverb

Other Words From

• sub·tle·ness noun
• sub·tly adverb
• hy·per·sub·tle adjective
• hy·per·sub·tle·ness noun
• non·sub·tle adjective
• non·sub·tle·ness noun
• o·ver·sub·tle adjective
• pseu·do·sub·tle adjective
• un·sub·tle adjective
• un·sub·tle·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of subtle¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English sotil, from Old French, from Latin subtīlis “subtile” (the b of modern spelling is from Latin ); subtile

Word History and Origins

Origin of subtle¹

C14: from Old French soutil, from Latin subtīlis finely woven

Example Sentences

A new study carried out at the MIT Language Acquisition Lab offers a novel insight into the matter: Sentences contain subtle hints in their grammar that tell young children about the meaning of new words.

From Science Daily

There was barely a loose ball, and subtle changes of line often brought the edge, with nine of the wickets caught behind the stumps by Alex Carey or the cordon.

From BBC

“It will still be there in some way, shape or form, but it may be more subtle in terms of the effects on consumers,” said Shubha Ghosh, a law professor at Syracuse University.

From Los Angeles Times

"The heavy water-SRS method allowed us to observe the subtle yet significant changes in the gut microbiome, which are often missed in traditional abundance-based measurements."

From Science Daily

It is, he says, a not so subtle reminder that Russia has a wider arsenal of different and larger missile types and is ready to develop more.

From BBC

Related Words

• complex
• detailed
• insidious
• intriguing
• precise
• shrewd
• skillful
• sly