subtlety
- 01 C2 Proficiency
the use of clever or indirect methods to get what you want.
the quality of being clever in a surreptitious or deceitful manner; an act or argument demonstrating such cleverness.
Simple“He used great subtlety to convince his boss to give him a raise.”
In context“The diplomat was admired for the subtlety with which he navigated the tense negotiations without offending either party.”
- 02 C2 Proficiency
a special food decoration in the Middle Ages made to look like something else.
an ornate medieval illusion dish or table decoration, typically crafted from edible materials to resemble a different object.
Simple“The king's feast featured a subtlety made of sugar that looked like a castle.”
In context“During the banquet, the servants brought out a magnificent subtlety in the shape of a stag, much to the delight of the gathered nobility.”
Synonyms
“Stars or not, Shirley Henderson and Alan Cumming only bring a greater degree of subtlety to this fragile work.”
“On a video call between sets at Rotterdam’s North Sea jazz festival , the 39-year-old speaks like he plays, with quirkiness, subtlety and mischief.”
From Middle English sotilte, from Old French sutilté, inherited from Latin subtīlitās, from subtīlis (“subtle”). Equivalent to subtle + -ty. Doublet of subtility.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.