ENGLISH
REFERENCE

delicate

adj. · n.
US //ˈdɛɫəkət// UK //dˈɛlɪkət// del·i·cate
  1. 1 easily broken (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    easily damaged or broken; needing very careful handling.

    physically fragile or easily damaged; requiring cautious manipulation to avoid breakage.

    Example

    Be careful with those delicate wine glasses when you wash them.

    Example

    The restoration of the delicate silk tapestry required months of painstaking work by a team of textile specialists.
  2. 2 fine or detailed (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    having a very thin, light, or detailed structure.

    characterized by a fine, intricate, or subtle structure; often used of patterns, features, or craftsmanship.

    Example

    The spider web was covered in delicate drops of morning dew.

    Example

    The watchmaker used specialized tools to adjust the delicate internal gears of the antique chronometer.
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  1. 3 requiring tact (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    needing careful treatment because it could easily cause trouble or offense.

    requiring great tact, diplomacy, or sensitivity to manage successfully without causing conflict.

    Example

    The manager had to handle a delicate situation between two angry employees.

    Example

    The diplomat navigated the delicate negotiations with skill, ensuring that neither party felt their sovereignty was being challenged.
  2. 4 subtle or light (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    pleasant and not strong, such as a light smell, taste, or color.

    subtle or understated in sensory quality; not intense or overpowering.

    Example

    The soup had a delicate flavor of fresh herbs and lemon.

    Example

    The artist chose a delicate shade of pink for the sky to suggest the very first moments of dawn.
  3. 5 weak health (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Medicine

    having a body that is not strong and gets sick easily.

    possessing a fragile constitution; prone to illness or physical exhaustion.

    Example

    The child had always been in delicate health since he was born.

    Example

    Despite her delicate constitution, she insisted on traveling across the continent to attend the scientific symposium.
  4. 6 hungover (adj.)
    C2 Proficiency British English Informal Humorous

    feeling slightly sick or sensitive, especially after drinking too much alcohol.

    feeling physically sensitive or unwell, typically as a result of a hangover.

    Example

    I'm feeling a bit delicate this morning after the office party.

    Example

    He was feeling rather delicate after the wedding celebrations and spent the entire Sunday morning in a darkened room.

    Teacher's tip

    This is a common British euphemism for a hangover; it implies the person needs quiet and gentle treatment.
  5. 7 fragile clothing (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    clothes that are made of thin or expensive material and need a gentle wash.

    items of clothing, such as lingerie or silk garments, that require a gentle laundry cycle.

    Example

    You should wash your delicates in a separate mesh bag.

    Example

    The modern washing machine features a specific cycle designed to protect delicates from being stretched or torn during the spin.

    Usage

    Usually used in the plural form.
    • fragiles
Origin

From Middle English delicat, from Latin dēlicātus (“giving pleasure, delightful, soft, luxurious, delicate, (in Medieval Latin also) fine, slender”), from dēlicia + -ātus (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), usually in plural dēliciae (“pleasure, delight, luxury”), from dēliciō (“to allure, entice”), from dē- (“away”) + laciō (“to lure, to deceive”), from Proto-Italic *lakjō (“to draw, pull”), of unknown ultimate origin. Compare delight, delicious and Spanish delgado (“thin, skinny”). The noun is from a substantivization of the adjective (see -ate).

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