DELICATELY

finely, fine, delicately, exquisitely

(adverb) in a delicate manner; “finely shaped features”; “her fine drawn body”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adverb

delicately (comparative more delicately, superlative most delicately)

In a delicate manner; exquisitely.

Tactfully.

Source: Wiktionary


Del"i*cate*ly, adv.

Definition: In a delicate manner.

DELICATE

Del"i*cate, a. Etym: [L. delicatus pleasing the senses, voluptuous, soft and tender; akin to deliciae delight: cf. F. délicat. See Delight.]

1. Addicted to pleasure; luxurious; voluptuous; alluring. [R.] Dives, for his delicate life, to the devil went. Piers Plowman. Haarlem is a very delicate town. Evelyn.

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

3. Slight and shapely; lovely; graceful; as, "a delicate creature." Shak.

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

5. Slight or smooth; light and yielding; -- said of texture; as, delicate lace or silk.

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

7. Light, or softly tinted; -- said of a color; as; as, a delicate blue.

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

9. Tender; not able to endure hardship; feeble; frail; effeminate; -- said of constitution, health, etc.; as, a delicate child; delicate health. A delicate and tender prince. Shak.

10. Requiring careful handling; not to be rudely or hastily dealt with; nice; critical; as, a delicate subject or question. There are some things too delicate and too sacred to be handled rudely without injury to truth. F. W. Robertson.

11. Of exacting tastes and habits; dainty; fastidious.

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

13. Affected by slight causes; showing slight changes; as, a delicate thermometer.

Del"i*cate, n.

1. A choice dainty; a delicacy. [R.] With abstinence all delicates he sees. Dryden.

2. A delicate, luxurious, or effeminate person. All the vessels, then, which our delicates have, -- those I mean that would seem to be more fine in their houses than their neighbors, -- are only of the Corinth metal. Holland.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

3 July 2025

SENSE

(noun) the faculty through which the external world is apprehended; “in the dark he had to depend on touch and on his senses of smell and hearing”


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Coffee Trivia

Brazil is the largest coffee producer in the world. Each year Brazil exports more than 44 million bags of coffee. Vietnam follows at exporting over 27 million bags each year.

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