subtle

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(sŭt'l) pronunciation
adj., sub·tler, sub·tlest.
    1. So slight as to be difficult to detect or describe; elusive: a subtle smile.
    2. Difficult to understand; abstruse: an argument whose subtle point was lost on her opponent.
  1. Able to make fine distinctions: a subtle mind.
    1. Characterized by skill or ingenuity; clever.
    2. Crafty or sly; devious.
    3. Operating in a hidden, usually injurious way; insidious: a subtle poison.

[Middle English sotil, from Old French, from Latin subtīlis.]

subtleness sub'tle·ness n.
subtly sub'tly adv.


has a corresponding adverb subtly, and the noun is subtlety (which is also countable with a plural form subtleties). The b is silent in all these forms.

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adjective

  1. So slight as to be difficult to notice or appreciate: delicate, fine1, finespun, nice, refined. See big/small/amount.
  2. Able to make or detect effects of great subtlety or precision: delicate, fine1, nice. See precise/imprecise.


adj

Definition: clever, cunning
Antonyms: forthright, honest, open, slow-witted

adj

Definition: nice, quiet, delicate
Antonyms: hard, harsh, noisy, obvious, unsubtle

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pronunciation

IN BRIEF: Difficult to detect or grasp by the mind. Also: Able to make fine distinctions.

pronunciation We perceive and are affected by changes too subtle to be described. — Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

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1. very fine, as a subtle powder.
2. very acute, as a subtle pain.


adj

Having a low intensity; not severe and having no serious sequelae.

Random House Word Menu:

categories related to 'subtle'

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Random House Word Menu by Stephen Glazier
For a list of words related to subtle, see:

  See crossword solutions for the clue Subtle.

Subtle may refer to:


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Dansk (Danish)
adj. - subtil, fin, diskret, spidsfindig, skarpsindig, listig, snedig, underfundig

Nederlands (Dutch)
subtiel, scherpzinnig, verfijnd

Français (French)
adj. - subtil, astucieux, habile, très fin, voilé, perspicace, subtil (un esprit), nuancé (un éclairage)

Deutsch (German)
adj. - zart, fein, raffiniert, subtil

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - ανεπαίσθητος, δυσδιάκριτος, οξυδερκής, έξυπνος, λεπτός, φίνος, επιδέξιος, έντεχνος, (απαρχ.) πανούργος, πονηρός

Italiano (Italian)
perspicace, acuto, sottile, fine, delicato

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - sutil

Русский (Russian)
тонкий, острый, проницательный, трудноуловимый, искусный, утонченный, хитрый

Español (Spanish)
adj. - perspicaz, sagaz, sutil, delicado, tenue

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - subtil, hårfin, odefinierbar, svårfattlig, utstuderad, raffinerad, påhittig, sinnig, lyhörd, skarp, vaken, förslagen, knepig, tunn

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
微妙的, 不可思议的, 难捉摸的, 微微的, 纤细的, 隐约的

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 微妙的, 不可思議的, 難捉摸的, 微微的, 纖細的, 隱約的

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 민감한, 미묘한, 어려운

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 繊細な, 微妙な, 敏感な, 鋭い, 薄い, 薄く広がる, ずるい, 油断のならない

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) رقيق , دقيق , ماكر‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮עדין, דק, רך, סובטילי, חריף, שנון, מורכב, מתוחכם‬


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