subtle
Forms
- Comparative
- subtler
- Superlative
- subtlest
- present (v1)
- subtle
- past (v2)
- subtled
- past participle (v3)
- subtled
- present participle
- subtling
- 3rd person singular
- subtles
Definitions
1.Senses relating to tangible things.
2.Senses relating to intangible things.
- The difference between the tones is subtle, but you can hear it if you listen carefully.
- The most subtle and powerful intellects have been labouring for centuries to solve these difficulties.
- Like a peripatetic philosopher, Mr. Verloc, strolling along the streets of London, had modified Stevie's view of the police by conversations full of subtle reasonings.
1.People or things that are subtle (adjective sense) as a class.
1.To make (something) subtle (“giving only a slight impression; also, skilfully restrained or understated”).
Frequency
Overall
Uncommon· #3910
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Uncommon
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Etymology
The adjective is derived from Middle English sotil, soubtil, subtil (“of a person, the mind, etc.: clever, ingenious, penetrating; cunning, sly; insidious; delicate, fine; not dense, light, thin; finely powdered; narrow, slender; etc.”), borrowed from Anglo-Norman sotel, subtil, sutil, Middle French soutil, subtil, sutil, and Old French sotil, soutil, subtil, sutil (“of an object: skilfully designed or made; delicate, fine; slender, thin; of an intangible thing: difficult to understand; of a person: discerning, shrewd; devious, sly; etc.”) (modern French subtil), from Latin subtīlis (“of texture: delicate, fine; slender, thin; accurate, keen; having fine judgment; etc.”), from sub (“below, under”) + tēla (“warp (threads running lengthwise in a loom); web”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tetḱ- (“to create, produce; to cut, hew”), from *teḱ- (“to beget, sire”)). The word displaced Old English smēag (literally “creeping”).