• IPA: /ˈdɛlɪkət/

delicate

1. Easily damaged or requiring careful handling.

   Those clothes are made from delicate lace.

   The negotiations were very delicate.

2. Characterized by a fine structure or thin lines.

   Her face was delicate.

   The spider wove a delicate web.

   There was a delicate pattern of frost on the window.

3. Intended for use with fragile items.

   Set the washing machine to the delicate cycle.

4. Refined; gentle; scrupulous not to trespass or offend; considerate; said of manners, conduct, or feelings.

   delicate behaviour; delicate attentions; delicate thoughtfulness

5. Of weak health; easily sick; unable to endure hardship.

   a delicate child; delicate health

   • c. 1599–1602, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act IV, scene iv]:

     a delicate and tender prince

6. (informal) Unwell, especially because of having drunk too much alcohol.

   Please don't speak so loudly: I'm feeling a bit delicate this morning.

7. (obsolete) Addicted to pleasure; luxurious; voluptuous; alluring.
   • 1360–1387, William Langland, Piers Plowman (C-text), passus IX ↗, line 285:

     Þenk þat diues for hus delicat lyf to þe deuel wente.

   • circa 1660, John Evelyn (author), William Bray (editor), The Diary of John Evelyn, volume I of II (1901), entry for the 19th of August in 1641, page 29 ↗:

     Haerlem is a very delicate town and hath one of the fairest churches of the Gothic design I had ever seen.

8. Pleasing to the senses; refined; adapted to please an elegant or cultivated taste.

   a delicate dish; delicate flavour

9. Slight and shapely; lovely; graceful.
   • circa 1603, William Shakespeare, Othello, act II, scene iii ↗, lines 18 and 20–21:

     Cassio:   She’s a most exquisite lady.…Indeed, she’s a most fresh and delicate creature.

10. Light, or softly tinted; said of a colour.

    a delicate shade of blue

11. Of exacting tastes and habits; dainty; fastidious.
12. Highly discriminating or perceptive; refinedly critical; sensitive; exquisite.

    a delicate taste; a delicate ear for music

13. Affected by slight causes; showing slight changes.

    a delicate thermometer

• (easily damaged) fragile

• delicacy
• delicately
• delicatessen
• delicious
• delight

• French: délicat
• German: empfindlich, heikel, schwierig
• Russian: хру́пкий
• Spanish: delicado

• German: feingliedrig, filigran, zart, zierlich, grazil
• Russian: делика́тный

• German: empfindlich

• German: behutsam, feinfühlig, taktvoll

• German: anfällig, schwächlich
• Russian: боле́зненный

• German: angeschlagen
• Russian: разби́тый

• German: köstlich, erlesen, delikat

• German: zart, grazil, anmutig

• German: leicht, sanft, zart

• German: erlesen, ausgesucht, anspruchsvoll, delikat, wählerisch

• German: feinfühlig, empfindsam, wählerisch

• German: empfindlich, hochempfindlich

delicate (plural delicates)

1. A delicate item of clothing, especially underwear or lingerie.

   Don't put that in with your jeans: it's a delicate!

2. (obsolete) A choice dainty; a delicacy.
3. (obsolete) A delicate, luxurious, or effeminate person.