• (RP) IPA: /ˈnjuː.ɑːns/
• (America) IPA: /ˈnuː.ɑːns/

nuance

1. A minor distinction.
2. Subtlety or fine detail.

   Understanding the basics is easy, but appreciating the nuances takes years.

   • 1901: Alpheus Spring Packard, [http://books.google.com/books?vid=OCLC01513448&id=ZkB59HbB7VYC&pg=PA263&lpg=PA263&dq=nuance+date:1850-1950&as_brr=1 Lamarck, the Founder of Evolution]

     ...the richer our collections become, the more numerous are the proofs that all is more or less shaded (nuance), that the remarkable differences become obliterated...

   • 2016, John Oliver, “Encryption”, in Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, season 3, episode 5, written by Tim Carvell; Josh Gondelman; Dan Gurewitch; Jeff Maurer; Ben Silva; Will Tracy; Jill Twiss; Seena Vali; Julie Weiner, HBO, Warner Bros. Television:

     It’s a miracle Lindsey Graham has met the concept of nuance. And this is the man who once warned “the world is literally about to blow up.” So you’re not dealing with someone who likes to dabble with grey areas.

• French: nuance
• German: Nuance
• Italian: sfumatura, sottigliezza
• Portuguese: nuance, nuança, sutileza, matiz
• Russian: нюа́нс
• Spanish: matiz

• French: nuance, subtilité
• German: Nuance
• Italian: sottigliezza
• Portuguese: nuance, nuança, subtil
• Russian: нюа́нс
• Spanish: matiz

nuance (nuances, present participle nuancing; past and past participle nuanced)

1. (transitive) To apply a nuance to; to change or redefine in a subtle way.