Delicacy

Definitions: Delicacy

Delicacy

Noun

1. The quality of being beautiful and delicate in appearance; "the daintiness of her touch"; "the fineness of her features".

2. Something considered choice to eat.

3. Refined taste; tact.

4. Smallness of stature.

5. Lack of physical strength.

6. Subtly skillful handling of a situation.

7. Lightness in movement or manner.

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 

Date "delicacy" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1350. (references)

Note: Delicacy \Del"i*ca*cy\, noun; plural Delicacies. [From Delicate,]. (Websters 1913)

Synonyms: Delicacy

Beauty

Concinnity, delicacy, refinement; charm, je ne sais quoi, style.

Difficulty

Dilemma, embarrassment; deadlock; perplexity; (uncertainty); intricacy; entanglement, complexity; cross fire; awkwardness, delicacy, ticklish card to play, knot, Gordian knot, dignus vindice nodus, net, meshes, maze; coil; (convolution); crooked path; involvement.

Disease

Delicacy, loss of health, invalidation, cachexy; cachexia, atrophy, marasmus; indigestion, dyspepsia; decay; (deterioration); decline, consumption, palsy, paralysis, prostration.

Food

Comestibles, eatables, victuals, edibles, ingesta; grub, grubstake, prog, meat; bread, bread stuffs; cerealia; cereals; viands, cates, delicacy, dainty, creature comforts, contents of the larder, fleshpots; festal board; ambrosia; good cheer, good living.

Probity

Punctilio, delicacy, nicety; scrupulosity, scrupulousness; Adjective: scruple; point, point of honor; punctuality.

Purity

Noun: purity; decency, decorum, delicacy; continence, chastity, honesty, virtue, modesty, shame; pudicity, pucelage, virginity.

Savoriness

Tidbit, titbit, dainty, delicacy, tasty morsel; appetizer, hors d'ouvres; ambrosia, nectar, bonne-bouche; game, turtle, venison; delicatessen.

Taste

Noun: taste; good taste, refined taste, cultivated taste; delicacy, refinement, fine feeling, gust, gusto, tact, finesse; nicety; (discrimination); gr/to prepon/gr polish, elegance, grace.

Truth

Accuracy, exactitude; exactness, preciseness; Adjective: precision, delicacy; rigor, mathematical precision, punctuality; clockwork precision; (regularity); conformity to rule; nicety.

Unwillingness

Scrupulousness, scrupulosity; qualms of conscience, twinge of conscience; delicacy, demur, scruple, qualm, shrinking, recoil; hesitation; (irresolution); fastidiousness.

Weakness

Declension of strength, loss of strength, failure of strength; delicacy, invalidation, decrepitude, asthenia, adynamy, cachexy, cachexia, sprain, strain.

Crosswords: Delicacy

Because they are only fit to sever the bull necks of their countrymen with a butcher's cleaver. But a woman's neck, a Queen's neck: that calls for finesse, for delicacy, for chivalry in one word, a Frenchman! (The Private Life of Henry VIII; writing credit: Lajos Bir�; Arthur Wimperis)

A delicacy, even for pagans. (Farscape; writing credit: Olivier Cauvin)

It's a delicacy, and you know where it's been. (The Cook the Thief His Wife & Her Lover; writing credit: Peter Greenaway)

Friendship, like anything of value, requires delicacy in it's use. (Earth: Final Conflict; writing credit: Thodoris Manikas)

Delicacy Spice (1993)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Books

• Oyster Cookery: Sixty Ways to Dominate That Delectable Little Delicacy (reference)

• Oysters: A True Delicacy (reference)

• The Delicacy and Strength of Lace: Letters Between Leslie Marmon Silko & James Wright (reference)

  (more book examples)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Sharks are a valuable fishery for their fins, a delicacy in the Orient.Credit: National Undersea Research Program (NURP).

The Aborn Company presents Dolly Varden the musical delicacy with a great singing organization.Credit: Library of Congress.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

The peculiar delicacy of this case, the novelty of some of its circumstances, and the real difficulty attending the points which occur in it, require a complete exposition of the principles on which the opinion to be given by the court is founded. (reference)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

It was short, but expressed good sense, warm attachment, liberality, propriety, even delicacy of feeling.

This delicacy accommodated itself to the serge dress, finding in its harsh touch a continual reminder of Heaven and of God.

He, out of delicacy, was sitting on the ground behind the house.

Many of the phenomena of Winter are suggestive of an inexpressible tenderness and fragile delicacy.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Economic History

China

Alaskan crab is well-liked here and is considered a delicacy by trades, hotels and consumers. (references)

India

Relations between India and China are on the mend, and the two sides handled the move from Tibet to India of the Karmapa Lama in January 2000 with delicacy and tact. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

Expressions using "delicacy": delicacy of feeling ♦ exotic delicacy ♦ feel a delicacy. Additional references.

Ending with "delicacy": slab-delicacy.

Afrikaan

lekkers (sweet, tidbit). (various references)

Albanian

dobësi (adynamia, anaemia, anemia, debility, disease, failing, feebleness, flabbiness, flaccidity, fragility, frailty, goneness, impotence, impotency, inanimation, inanition, inanity, infirmity, labefaction, languish, languor, laxness, leanness, limpness, malady, marasmus, reaction, sinking, tabescence, tenuity, vulnerability, washiness, weakness), delikatesë e gjendjes, delikatesë (nicety, refinement, regale, subtlety), takt (address, discreetness, tact), sjellje e hollë, njomësi e ngjyreve, ndjeshmëri (empathy, eroticism, feeling, sensibility, sensitivity, sensuality, sentience, susceptibility, tenderness), lezet (handsomeness, prettiness, propriety, relish, suitability, tact, zest), hijeshi (charm, elegance, elegancy, grace), butësi (clemency, ductility, flabbiness, geniality, gentleness, girlishness, languor, laxity, lenience, leniency, lenity, lightness, meekness, mercifulness, mildness, placability, tenderness, velvet). (various references)

Arabic 

‏كياسة (civility, comity, complaisance, complaisant, courtesy, elegance, grace, politeness, refinement, urbanity), ‏هشاشة (crispness, frailty), ‏طعام شهي (tidbit, titbit), ‏ضعف (attenuation, backwardness, crack, craze, debility, decrepitude, defect, emaciation, enervation, failing, failure, fainting, feebleness, flabbiness, flightiness, frailness, frailty, grogginess, imitators, impairment, impotence, inadequacy, incapability, infirmity, lameness, languor, limp, limpness, shakiness, sickliness, sleeplessness, tenuousness, twice, uneasiness, weak spot, weaklings, weakness), ‏الكياسة, ‏أطعمة شهية, ‏رهافة (fineness, flimsiness, sleeplessness, slimness, tenuousness, thinness), ‏رقة (airiness, benignity, daintiness, fineness, finesse, flimsiness, forgiveness, geniality, gentleness, graciousness, loveliness, neatness, polish, refinement, sensitiveness, sensitivity, sleeplessness, softness, suavity, subtlety, tenderling, tenderness, tenuity, tenuousness, thinness), ‏دقة (accuracy, closeness, exactitude, exactness, fidelity, fineness, finesse, fussiness, nicety, preciseness, precision, promptitude, punctuality, refinement, reliability, rigor, rigour, strictness, subtlety, sureness, tenuity, thoroughness, veracity). (various references)

Bulgarian 

финес (daintiness, fineness, nicety, refinement, subtlety), тънкост (exility, fineness, subtlety, tenuity), точност (accuracy, distinctness, exactitude, exactness, expedition, fidelity, literality, minuteness, nearness, neatness, nicety, particularity, precision, promptitude, punctuality, rigor, rigour, strictness), крехкост (crispness, flimsiness, fragility, frailness, tenderness), вежливост (affability, amenity, comity, complaisance, courtliness, politeness, urbanity), лакомство (dainty, kickshaw), изящество (grace, style), изтънченост (courtliness, daintiness, discrimination, nicety, polish, politeness, refinement, sophistication, subtlety, urbanity), деликатност (consideration, fineness, fragility, frailness, nicety, tenderness), деликатес (dainty, kickshaw). (various references)

Chinese 

纤巧 (Delicacies), 精致 . (various references)

Czech

dobrota (goodness, Goody), delikátnost (sensitivity), takt (bar, beat, discretion, measure, tact, time), pochoutka (dainty, relish), pamlsek (dainty, Goody, tidbit, titbit), lahùdka (dainty, tidbit, titbit), křehkost (crispness, flimsiness, fragility, frailty), jemnost (gentleness, mildness, nicety, refinement, softness, subtlety), citlivost (sensibility, sensitiveness, sensitivity, soreness, susceptibility, tenderness), útlocit. (various references)

Dutch

snoepgoed (candy, sweet, tidbit), snoep (candy, sweet, tidbit). (various references)

Esperanto

frandaĵo (sweet, tidbit). (various references)

Farsi 

نازک بینی , خوراک لذیذ (Regale), ظرافت (Elegance, Grace, Nicety, Precision), دقت (Accuracy, Attention, Certitude, Nicety, Precision, Severity). (various references)

Finnish

makupala (titbit), makuinen (titbit), makuasia (titbit), hienous (elegance, fineness, finesse, thinness), hienotunteisuus (considerateness, consideration), herkku (dainty, tidbit, titbit), hentous (slenderness, tenderness), arkatunteisuus (sensitiveness), arkaluonteisuus (sensitiveness). (various references)

French

friandise. (various references)

German

leckerbissen (delicacies, gem, tidbit, tidbit US, tidbits US, titbit, titbits), Schwächlichkeit (puniness, weakness), delikatesse. (various references)

Greek 

λιχουδιά (dainty, morsel), λεπτότητα (comity, consideration, daintiness, fineness, finesse, flimsiness, gauziness, niceness, nicety, polish, refinement, sleaziness, slenderness, slightness, slimness, subtlety, tact, tactfulness, tenuity, tenuousness, thinness, ticklishness, waspishness). (various references)

Hebrew 

מע�"ן (dainty, delight, luxury, tidbit), מטעם (dainty, delicatessen, relish), תפ� וק (delight, enjoyment, pampering, spoiling), ע�"ן (paradise, pleasure), ע�"י� ות (daintiness, fineness, finesse, gentleness, grace, niceness, refinement, softness, subtlety, tenderness), איסט� יסות (fastidiousness, sensitiveness), �"קות (fineness, flimsiness, niceness, nicety, subtlety, tenuity, thinness), רוך (gentleness, softness, tenderness, timidity), רכות (mildness, muliebrity, softness, tenderness). (various references)

Hungarian

gyengédség (daintiness, dearness, endearment, fondness, tenderness), finomság (daintiness, elegance, elegancy, fineness, finesse, gentility, morbidezza, subtlety, tenuity, tenuousness, title). (various references)

Indonesian

kelezatan (daintiness, delectation), kehalusan (daintiness). (various references)

Italian

delicatezza (care, daintiness, delicateness, gentleness, nicety, sensitivity, softness), manicaretto (dainty, kickshaw), leccornia (dainty, tidbit, titbit), ghiottoneria (gluttony, greed, greediness, kickshaw). (various references)

Japanese Kanji 

珍味 . (various references)

Japanese Katakana 

デリカシー , びみ (good flavor), か�"う (aged 61, chemical engineering, crater, descending, descent, downward, drop, estuary, fall, firelight, flower stalk, fragrance of flowers, good-eating fish, manufacturing, manuscript of poem, mouth of river, peduncle, processing, rare treat, river port, subsidence, to enclose, treatment), ち�"み. (various references)

Korean 

섬세함 (Delicacies). (various references)

Manx

metteeys (delicateness, primness, tenderness, tenderness of health), meer vlastal, dendeays (dainty, delicateness), bee-naightagh. (various references)

Norwegian

lekkerbisken, finfølelse. (various references)

Pig Latin

elicacyday

Polish

smakołyk. (various references)

Portuguese

acepipe (sweet, tidbit, titbit). (various references)

Romanian

delicateţe moralã, delicateţe (daintiness, dainty, fineness, gentleness, nicety, refinement, softness, tactfulness, tenderness, thinness), sensibilitate (responsiveness, sensibility, sensitiveness, sensitivity, tenderness), scrupulozitate (nicety, scrupulosity, scrupulousness), pudoare (bashfulness, chastity, decency, shame), modestie (diffidence, modesty), mâncare aleasã (dainty, titbit), fragilitate (brittleness, flimsiness, fragility, frailty, looseness), frãgezime (frailty, freshness, softness, tenderness, weakness), fineţe (fineness, finesse, nicety, refinement, subtlety), caracter delicat (captiousness). (various references)

Russian 

утонченность (daintiness, exility, nicety, refinement, subtlety), лакомство (dainty, delicacies, kickshaw, knick knack), изящество (concinnity, daintiness, elegance, elegancy, fineness, nicety, refinement, stylishness), деликатность (light hand, lightness), деликатес (dainty, regale). (various references)

Scottish

cugann. (various references)

Serbo-Croatian

poslastica (confection, dainty, sweet, titbit), osetljivost (disincentive, perceptibility, sensibility, sensitivity, soreness, susceptibilities, susceptibility, toughness), nežnost (daintiness, endearment, mildness, tenderness). (various references)

Spanish

dulce (candy, dove-like, dulcet, fresh, gentle, melting, mild, soft, soothing, sweet, sweetmeat, tender, tidbit, trifle). (various references)

Swedish

takt (address, bar, beat, discretion, finesse, grace, measure, pace, rate, stroke, tact, time), känslighet (impressibility, impressionability, sensibility, sensitivity, sensitivity of a measuring assembly, sensitivity of a measuring instrument, speed, susceptibility), delikatess. (various references)

Turkish

duyarlılık (emotionality, sensibility, sensitiveness, sensitivity, sentience, sentiment, sentimentality, susceptibility, touch), zayıflık (caducity, debility, diathesis, failing, faintness, feebleness, flabbiness, frailness, frailty, impotence, impotency, lameness, leanness, puniness, slimness, spareness, thinness, weakness), nezaket (affability, civility, comity, complaisance, courtesy, daintiness, decency, decorum, devoirs, gallantry, gentleness, grace, gracefulness, graciousness, keenness, kindliness, kindness, mildness, polish, politeness, suavity, sweetness, urbaneness, urbanity), nefis yiyecek, leziz lokma, incelik (civility, courtesy, daintiness, discretion, elaborateness, fineness, finesse, fragility, grace, gracefulness, keenness, niceness, nicety, point, polish, politeness, refinement, slenderness, slightness, slimness, subtility, subtlety, tact, thinness, touch), hassaslık (emotionality, passibility, quickness, sensibility, sensitiveness, sensitivity, sentiment, squeamishness, susceptibility, tenderness), alçakgönüllülük (demureness, honesty, humbleness, humility, lowliness, meekness, modesty, nobleness, pudency, simple-mindedness, submission, submissiveness). (various references)

Ukranian 

слабість (ail, asthenia, debility, enervation, flaccidity, foible, illness, languor, limpness, wasting, weakness), тонкість (fineness, finesse, polish, quiddity, quillet, subtlety), тендітність (fragility, weakness), тактовність (finesse, tact, taste), такт (cadence, lilt, tact), витонченість (daintiness, elegance, exquisiteness, nicety, preciosity, refinement, smart, sophistication, stylishness, subtlety), вишуканість (chic, courtliness, daintiness, elegance, fineness, nicety, smartness), ніжність (affectionateness, dearness, fondness, softness, tenderness). (various references)

Vietnamese 

sự nhẹ nh� ng, cao lương mỹ vị, sự duyên dáng (attractiveness, lightsomeness), sự khéo léo (adroitness, craftsmanship, deftness, dexterity, finesse, savoir faire, skill), sự khó xử sự lịch thiệp, sự mềm mại sự tế nhị, đ�" ăn quý, sự nhã nhặn tính nhạy cảm, vẻ thanh tú sự yếu đuối, sự thanh nhã, sự thanh tao, sự tinh tế, sự tinh xảo (skill), trạng thái mảnh dẻ sự tinh vi, trạng thái mảnh khảnh, sự mỏng manh. (various references)

Welsh

sew (juice, pottage), lledneisrwydd (modesty), amheuthun (choice, dainty, rare, rarity, savory, treat). (various references)

Zulu

iswidi (sweet, tidbit), iliswidi (sweet, tidbit). (various references)

Derivations

Words ending with "delicacy": indelicacy. (additional references)

Misspellings

"Delicacy" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: Delahay, deliacy, delicase, delicasy, Drlica. (additional references)

Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams

-2 letters: acidly, celiac, cicale, cicely, clayed, cycled.

-3 letters: acidy, ailed, alcid, cecal, clade, cycad, cycle, daily, decal, decay, delay, dicey, ideal, ileac, laced, lacey, layed, leady, lycea, yield.

-4 letters: aced, acid, acyl, aide, alec, cade, cadi, caid, ceca, cedi, ceil, clad, clay, dace, dale, deal, deil, deli, dial, dice, diel, iced, idea, idle, idly, idyl, ilea, lace, lacy, lade, lady, laic, laid, lead, lice, lied, yald, yeld.

-5 letters: ace, aid, ail, ale, aye, cad, cay, cel, dal, day, del, dey, die, dye, eld, ice, icy, lac, lad, lay, lea, led, lei, ley, lid, lie, lye, yea, yid.

+1 letter: decalcify.

+2 letters: accidently, cyclopedia, indelicacy.

+3 letters: comedically, cyclopaedia, cyclopedias.

+4 letters: academically, accidentally, cyclopaedias, decalcifying, decasyllabic, encyclopedia, epicycloidal, occidentally, radiolucency.

+5 letters: anecdotically, complicatedly, decasyllabics, dialectically, encyclopaedia, encyclopaedic, encyclopedias, hydrocephalic, synecdochical.

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