delicacy
noun
del·i·ca·cy
ˈde-li-kə-sē 
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
Synonyms
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
Guests can dine on delicacies like oysters and caviar, complemented by Library Bar's famous Birdbath Martini.
—
Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
Step 1: Place Items In Protective Bag Because of their delicacy, cashmere items should be placed in a protective mesh bag before any cycle.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2024
The artists at the core of the story display their refined sensibilities in action—by their poetically personal ways of teaching, the delicacy of their personal relationships, their sense of principle, their candor, their open-mindedness.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2024
The likes of red rice, crab cakes, okra and more delicacies all make up the fare fabric of their cookbook.
—Antonia Debianchi, Peoplemag, 17 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for delicacy 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
Step 1: Place Items In Protective Bag Because of their delicacy, cashmere items should be placed in a protective mesh bag before any cycle.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2024
The artists at the core of the story display their refined sensibilities in action—by their poetically personal ways of teaching, the delicacy of their personal relationships, their sense of principle, their candor, their open-mindedness.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2024
The likes of red rice, crab cakes, okra and more delicacies all make up the fare fabric of their cookbook.
—Antonia Debianchi, Peoplemag, 17 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for delicacy
Dictionary Entries Near delicacy
Cite this Entry
“Delicacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delicacy. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
delicacy
noun
del·i·ca·cy
ˈdel-i-kə-sē
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share