subtle
English
/ˈsʌt(ə)l/
adj
Definitions
- Hard to grasp; not obvious or easily understood; barely noticeable.
- (of a thing) Cleverly contrived.
- (of a person or animal) Cunning, skillful.
- Insidious.
- Tenuous; rarefied; of low density or thin consistency.
- (obsolete) Refined; exquisite.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English sotil derived from Old French soutil derived from Latin subtīlis (fine, thin, delicate, slender).
Origin
Latin
subtīlis
Gloss
fine, thin, delicate, slender
Concept
Semantic Field
Spatial relations
Ontological Category
Property
Kanji
微
Emoji
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- nonsubtle English
- oversubtle English
- subtely English
- subtlely English
- subtleness English
- subtly English
- supersubtle English
- unsubtle English
- unsubtleness English
- unsubtly English
- subtilio Latin
- subtilitas Latin
- subtilizare Latin
- subtiliāre Latin
- subtiliō Latin
- subtīlis Latin
- subtīliāre Latin
- subtil German
- subtiel Dutch, Flemish
- subtil French
- sutil Spanish, Castilian
- subtelny Polish
- sotil Middle English
- sotilen Middle English
- sotilly Middle English
- sotilnes Middle English
- sotilte Middle English
- subtil Danish
- sotil Old French
- soutil Old French
- sotil Old Portuguese
- sategl Romansh
- satel Romansh
- satigl Romansh
- stigl Romansh