delicacy

noun

del·​i·​ca·​cy ˈde-li-kə-sē How to pronounce delicacy (audio)
plural delicacies
1
: something pleasing to eat that is considered rare or luxurious
considered caviar a delicacy
2
a
: the quality or state of being dainty (see dainty entry 2 sense 2) : fineness
lace of great delicacy
the delicacy of a spider web
b
: frailty sense 1
the delicacy of his health
3
: fineness or subtle expressiveness of touch (as in painting or music)
4
a
: refined sensibility in feeling or conduct
handled the difficult situation with delicacy
b
: the quality or state of being squeamish
Hunger knows no delicacy.
5
: the quality or state of requiring delicate (see delicate entry 1 sense 4b) handling
the delicacy of the tense negotiations
6
a
: precise and refined perception and discrimination
the delicacy of his taste in art
b
: extreme sensitivity : precision
an electronic instrument of great delicacy
7
obsolete
a
: the quality or state of being luxurious

Examples of delicacy in a Sentence

The restaurant serves delicious sausages and other regional delicacies. the delicacy of the glassware The curtains were made from fine lace of great delicacy. a musician known for the delicacy of her compositions the delicacy of the young boy's features the delicacy of the perfume the delicacy of the wine's flavor Because of the delicacy of the situation, we needed to speak privately.
Recent Examples on the Web His collection plays on a contrast of delicacy in fabrication against the toughness of menswear silhouette, and grew out of Louie’s work and research at a vintage archive in the Arizona desert. Luke Leitch, Vogue, 2 Mar. 2024 Will Rosenthal, who agrees to play, score? Stylish Sips: At the grand Taj Mahal Palace hotel, afternoon tea with English and Indian delicacies are served in opulent surroundings. Laura Manske, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Fans over 21 can have their sweet treats topped off with an extra shot of the boozy delicacy. Michael Saponara, Billboard, 26 Jan. 2024 Others, though, think the dish is more of a regional delicacy, so Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky both deserve credit. The Enquirer, 25 Jan. 2024 And then there's boudin, a Louisiana delicacy in a league all its own. Michelle Darrisaw, Southern Living, 20 Feb. 2024 Before lunch, sip on a Southern delicacy at Scout Southern Market. Sallie Funderburk, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 Her Choice to Eat Snow After TikTok Recipe Video Sparks Heated Debate The childhood delicacy has even become a tradition for Kotb and her kids. Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 22 Jan. 2024 Fish is both a staple and delicacy, the warm waters giving the island rich stocks of kingfish, lobster and red snapper. Dominic Kocur, theweek, 22 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'delicacy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see delicate entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 7a

Time Traveler
The first known use of delicacy was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near delicacy

Cite this Entry

“Delicacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delicacy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

delicacy

noun
del·​i·​ca·​cy ˈdel-i-kə-sē How to pronounce delicacy (audio)
plural delicacies
1
: something pleasing to eat because it is rare or a luxury
2
a
: fineness of structure : daintiness
lace of great delicacy
b
: weakness of body : frailty
the delicacy of his health
3
: the ability to express very slight degrees of feeling (as in painting or music)
4
: consideration for the feelings of others
5
: the ability to sense or indicate very slight differences : precision
6
: the tendency to be or state of being squeamish
7
: the quality or state of requiring careful treatment
the delicacy of a situation

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