Added 10 October 2026
subtlety
/ˈsʌt(ə)lti/ noun
In Latin: argūtiae, subtīlitās Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about subtlety at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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The quality of being subtle. The quality of being scarcely noticeable or difficult to discern.
the subtlety of the Mona Lisa’s smile
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The quality of being scarcely noticeable or difficult to discern.
the subtlety of the Mona Lisa’s smile
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The quality of being done in a clever way that is not obvious or not direct; the quality of being carefully thought out.
the subtlety of a writer’s analysis / of a singer’s phrasing
Origin
From Middle English sotilte, from Old French sutilté, inherited from Latin subtīlitās, from subtīlis (“subtle”). Equivalent to subtle + -ty. Doublet of subtility.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)