delicacy

1 something that is pleasing to eat because it is rare or a luxury presented with a plate of national delicacies while they waited for the queen Synonyms bit, cate [archaic], dainty, delectable, goody (or goodie), kickshaw, tidbit (also titbit), treat, viand Related Words morsel; candy, dessert, junket, sweet, sweetmeat

2 the state or quality of having a delicate structure we never cease to marvel at the delicacy of a snowflake Synonyms daintiness, exquisiteness, fineness, fragility, frangibility Related Words diaphanousness, flimsiness, insubstantiality, wispiness; brittleness, crumbliness, friability Near Antonyms firmness, solidity; strength Antonyms coarseness, crudeness, crudity, roughness, rudeness

3 the tendency to be or state of being squeamish the urgent need for blood prompted many people to overcome their habitual delicacy and become first-time donors Synonyms qualmishness, queasiness, squeamishness Related Words daintiness, fastidiousness, finicalness, finickiness, fussiness Near Antonyms boldness, gutsiness Antonyms indelicacy

4 the quality or state of being very accurate the delicacy of the watch movement is incredible Synonyms accuracy, accurateness, closeness, precision, exactitude, exactness, fineness, nicety, perfection, preciseness, rigor, rigorousness, ultraprecision, veracityRelated Words correctness, fidelity, rightness, strictness, truth; definiteness, definitiveness, definitude, determinacy; nicety, subtlety; care, carefulness, fastidiousness, meticulousness, persnicketinessNear Antonyms approximation, roundness; falseness, falsity, incorrectness, wrongness; carelessness, guesswork, looseness; indefiniteness, vaguenessAntonyms coarseness, impreciseness, imprecision, inaccuracy, inexactitude, inexactness, roughness

5 the quality or state of lacking physical strength or vigor all of her life the shy poet gave the appearance of extreme delicacy Synonyms asthenia, debilitation, debility, weakness, enervation, enfeeblement, faintness, feebleness, fragility, frailness, frailty, infirmity, languidness, languor, listlessness, lowness, wimpinessRelated Words decay, decrepitude; breakdown, collapse, prostration; exhaustion, fatigue, lassitude, weariness; defenselessness, helplessness, impotence, impuissance, powerlessness; effeteness, softness, tenderness; disablement, incapacitation, invalidism; damage, harm, hurt, impairment, injuryNear Antonyms energy, vitality; brawniness, fitness, heftiness, huskiness, lustiness, muscularity, virility; hardness, ruggedness, stoutness, sturdiness, toughness; health, healthiness, soundness, wellnessAntonyms hardihood, hardiness, robustness, strength, vigor

6 the state or quality of being able to sense slight impressions or differences the delicacy of the sensor is such that it will be affected by the slightest vibration Synonyms acuteness, acuity, keenness, perceptiveness, perceptivity, sensitiveness, sensitivity, sharpnessRelated Words hyperacuity, hypersensitiveness, hypersensitivity, oversensitiveness, oversensitivity, supersensitivity; accuracy, exactitude, exactness, fineness