delicate
exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury
How often you will meet it
Rank 1,401 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 13,142 times across 175,112 chapters — 0.006% of every word in the library.
What it means
adjective
- exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury a delicate violin passagedelicate china
- marked by great skill especially in meticulous technique a surgeon's delicate touch
- easily broken or damaged or destroyed also: fragile, frail a kite too delicate to fly safelyfragile porcelain plates
- easily hurt also: soft soft handsa baby's delicate skin
- developed with extreme delicacy and subtlety also: finespun the satire touches with finespun ridicule every kind of human pretense
- difficult to handle; requiring great tact also: ticklish, touchy delicate negotiations with the big powershesitates to be explicit on so ticklish a matter
delicate in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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Lawrence, the younger, had been a delicate youth.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles · Agatha Christie · Chapter 1
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She had sparkling eyes and a delicate tip-tilted nose.
Emily Fox-Seton · Frances Hodgson Burnett · Chapter 1
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Dino gave Mrs. Halm great anxiety, for he seemed more delicate every day.
Cornelli · Johanna Spyri · Chapter 1
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The shadow of the vines made a delicate tracery over her white dress.
Gloria and Treeless Street · Annie Hamilton Donnell · Chapter 1
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John had not the heart to shake off the frail delicate child, who was christened "Fluff" after his first appearance in public.
The Hill: A Romance of Friendship · Horace Annesley Vachell · Chapter 1