delicacy

noun

del·​i·​ca·​cy ˈde-li-kə-sē How to pronounce delicacy (audio)
plural delicacies
1
: something pleasing to eat that is considered rare or luxurious
considered caviar a delicacy
2
a
: the quality or state of being dainty (see dainty entry 2 sense 2) : fineness
lace of great delicacy
the delicacy of a spider web
b
: frailty sense 1
the delicacy of his health
3
: fineness or subtle expressiveness of touch (as in painting or music)
4
a
: refined sensibility in feeling or conduct
handled the difficult situation with delicacy
b
: the quality or state of being squeamish
Hunger knows no delicacy.
5
: the quality or state of requiring delicate (see delicate entry 1 sense 4b) handling
the delicacy of the tense negotiations
6
a
: precise and refined perception and discrimination
the delicacy of his taste in art
b
: extreme sensitivity : precision
an electronic instrument of great delicacy
7
obsolete
a
: the quality or state of being luxurious

Example Sentences

The restaurant serves delicious sausages and other regional delicacies. the delicacy of the glassware The curtains were made from fine lace of great delicacy. a musician known for the delicacy of her compositions the delicacy of the young boy's features the delicacy of the perfume the delicacy of the wine's flavor Because of the delicacy of the situation, we needed to speak privately. See More
Recent Examples on the Web Piggie gets Gerald the Elephant to try slop, a stinky green delicacy among porcine foodies. David Allen, New York Times, 5 May 2023 Yum Escargot: Credit the French for turning slimy, garden-dwelling pests into a delicacy. Zoe Li, CNN, 2 May 2023 In another moment, Ripert was banging the mold on its side, trying to free the soft white round so it could be dunked into a saltwater brine, and then left to age into manchego cheese, the beloved Spanish delicacy. Devorah Lev-tov, Travel + Leisure, 28 Apr. 2023 For instance, one question asks how the user would feel about seeing a whole pig roasting on an open spit, which happens to be a delicacy of Latin American and Asian cuisine. Christina Montoya Fiedler, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Apr. 2023 For the second year in a row, a version of Ralph's was serving the delicacies popular at eateries like its New York outpost Polo Bar, including the usual lobster rolls and crunchy finger foods. Erik Maza, Town & Country, 25 Apr. 2023 This delicacy is unobtrusively accompanied by a near-invisible upper that complements the midsole’s properties. Jonathan Beverly, Outside Online, 8 Mar. 2023 The delightfully textural jellyfish is a delicacy across Asia in countries like Japan, Vietnam, Korea, and China. Jenny Liao, Bon Appétit, 23 Feb. 2023 There’s even caviar service for those who want to indulge, where the delicacy is brought out in a faux Fabergé egg. Christina Liao, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'delicacy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see delicate entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 7a

Time Traveler
The first known use of delicacy was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near delicacy

Cite this Entry

“Delicacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delicacy. Accessed 28 May. 2023.

Kids Definition

delicacy

noun
del·​i·​ca·​cy ˈdel-i-kə-sē How to pronounce delicacy (audio)
plural delicacies
1
: something pleasing to eat because it is rare or a luxury
2
a
: fineness of structure : daintiness
lace of great delicacy
b
: weakness of body : frailty
the delicacy of his health
3
: the ability to express very slight degrees of feeling (as in painting or music)
4
: consideration for the feelings of others
5
: the ability to sense or indicate very slight differences : precision
6
: the tendency to be or state of being squeamish
7
: the quality or state of requiring careful treatment
the delicacy of a situation

More from Merriam-Webster on delicacy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!