subtlety
/ˈsʌt(ə)lti/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.09 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
An instance of being subtle, a subtle thing, especially a subtle argument or distinction.
Countable
noun
An ornate medieval illusion dish or table decoration, especially when made from one thing but crafted to look like another.
Countable
noun
The quality of being clever in surreptitious or deceitful behaviour; an act or argument that shows this quality.
Archaic; Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "the subtlety of the Mona Lisa’s smile"
- "[H]e had a lifetime of skill in interpreting his father's gestures: those bent knees meant that something of great subtlety was about to be revealed."
- "the subtlety of a writer’s analysis / of a singer’s phrasing"
- "Something kinda sad about / The way that things have come to be / Desensitized to everything / What became of subtlety? / How can this mean anything to me / If I really don't feel anything at all?"
- "With all his usual subtlety, he quietly fixed the problem before anyone else noticed it."
- "European women often boss their men too, but with a beguiling subtlety unknown to most American females."
Etymology
From Middle English sotilte, from Old French sutilté, inherited from Latin subtīlitās, from subtīlis (“subtle”). Equivalent to subtle + -ty. Doublet of subtility.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈsʌt(ə)lti/
- British English: /ˈsʌt(ə)lti/
Usage
Subject
Wiktionary places this term in Food.