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

Examples of delicacy in a Sentence

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.
Recent Examples on the Web Floral flavors may call to mind molecular gastronomy and dainty delicacies, but flowers have for centuries been part of cuisines around the world. Alice Cavanagh, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024 Giordano's is one of several pizzerias serving up the local delicacy and has 65 locations spread across the country, but the one in central Chicago is the easiest to access. Meena Thiruvengadam, Travel + Leisure, 21 Feb. 2024 According to the World Wildlife Fund, over a million Asian and African pangolins have been captured by poachers over the past decade and shipped to China and Vietnam, where their meat is considered a delicacy. Marisa Garcia, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2024 This brunch-only delicacy is chef Charlie Foster’s elegant, light answer to the classic lobster roll. Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Feb. 2024 Instead, the winning teams are rewarded with roasted meat, local delicacies and even cows and other live animals. Janis MacKey Frayer, NBC News, 13 Feb. 2024 The only reason the delicacy has not swamped jollof rice in popularity is because of its difficult preparation. Emiene Wright, Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2024 His collection plays on a contrast of delicacy in fabrication against the toughness of menswear silhouette, and grew out of Louie’s work and research at a vintage archive in the Arizona desert. Luke Leitch, Vogue, 2 Mar. 2024 Will Rosenthal, who agrees to play, score? Stylish Sips: At the grand Taj Mahal Palace hotel, afternoon tea with English and Indian delicacies are served in opulent surroundings. Laura Manske, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024

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 Mar. 2024.

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

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