Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

delicacy

/ˈdɛlɪkəsi/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.18 in modern English

Syllables
del-i-ca-cy
IPA
/ˈdɛlɪkəsi/
16
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
4
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The quality of being delicate.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Something appealing, usually a pleasing food, especially a choice dish of a certain culture suggesting rarity and refinement.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Fineness or elegance of construction or appearance.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Frailty of health or fitness.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Refinement in taste or discrimination.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Tact and propriety; the need for such tact.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English delicacie, from Middle English delicat, from Latin delicatus. Equivalent to delic(ate) + -acy.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • British English: /ˈdɛlɪkəsi/

Usage

Inflected Forms

delicacies (plural)

Derived Forms

hyperdelicacy indelicacy overdelicacy

Frequently Paired Words

delicate delicatessen delicious delight

Synonyms

ambrosia airiness daintiness fineness diplomacy discreetness finesse fragility

Questions

How do you pronounce delicacy?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈdɛlɪkəsi/.
What does delicacy mean?
The quality of being delicate.
Where does delicacy come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce delicacy

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “delicacy”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈdɛlɪkəsi/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “delicacy”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “delicacy” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.