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
The area, known for being a tourist hot spot, is composed of six separate smaller markets and has stands that sell clothing, crafts, and various delicacies.
—
Anna Gordon, TIME, 20 June 2024
Pufferfish consume poisonous bacteria Pufferfish are famous as a Japanese delicacy known as fugu.
—Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 June 2024
Blown Away is about the fragility and delicacy of creating art in a fast-paced, industrial environment that seems designed to break it before it can even be seen.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 31 May 2024
The 13 marines who volunteered were trained in historical combat, fitted with sensors that monitored their performance, and fed roughly 4,500 calories worth of goat cheese, roasted meat, olives, bread, water, wine, and other Bronze Age culinary delicacies.
—Jacek Krywko, Ars Technica, 30 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for delicacy 
Anna Gordon, TIME, 20 June 2024
Pufferfish consume poisonous bacteria Pufferfish are famous as a Japanese delicacy known as fugu.
—Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 June 2024
Blown Away is about the fragility and delicacy of creating art in a fast-paced, industrial environment that seems designed to break it before it can even be seen.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 31 May 2024
The 13 marines who volunteered were trained in historical combat, fitted with sensors that monitored their performance, and fed roughly 4,500 calories worth of goat cheese, roasted meat, olives, bread, water, wine, and other Bronze Age culinary delicacies.
—Jacek Krywko, Ars Technica, 30 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for delicacy
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.
Dictionary Entries Near delicacy
Cite this Entry
“Delicacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delicacy. Accessed 2 Jul. 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
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