Subtle definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

subtle in American English · 1. thin; rare; tenuous; not dense or heavy. a subtle gas · 2. a. capable of making or noticing fine distinctions in meaning, etc. a ... EnglishDictionary Thesaurus WordLists Grammar EnglishEasyLearningGrammar GrammarPatterns EnglishUsage TeachingResources VideoGuides Conjugations Quiz Englishgrammar Englishcollocations Englishconfusables Englishidioms Englishusage Thematicwordlists English French German Italian Spanish Portuguese Hindi Chinese Definitionof 'subtle'    WordFrequency Share× Credits× subtle (sʌtəl ) Wordforms:comparativesubtler ,superlativesubtlest 1. adjective Somethingthatissubtleisnotimmediatelyobviousornoticeable. ...theslowandsubtlechangesthattakeplaceinalllivingthings. Intolerancecantakesubtlerformstoo. subtly adverbThetruthissubtlydifferent. Wechangesubtlyallthetime. 2. adjective Asubtlepersoncleverlyusesindirectmethodstoachievesomething. Ievenbegantoexploithiminsubtleways. Heisasubtlecharacter,youknow. Synonyms:crafty,cunning,sly,designing MoreSynonymsofsubtle subtly adverb[ADVERBwithverb]WhatI'vetriedverysubtlytodoistoreclaimlanguage. 3. adjective Subtlesmells,tastes,sounds,orcoloursarepleasantlycomplexanddelicate. ...subtleshadesofbrown. ...delightfullysubtlescents. ...wholeauberginesinaverysubtlesauce. Synonyms:muted,soft,faint,subdued MoreSynonymsofsubtle subtly adverb...awhitesofateamedwithsubtlycolouredrugs. MoreSynonymsofsubtle COBUILDAdvancedEnglishDictionary.Copyright©HarperCollinsPublishers Video:pronunciationof subtle Youmayalsolike EnglishQuizConfusables Synonymsof'subtle' LanguageLover'sBlog FrenchTranslationof'subtle' Translateyourtext PronunciationPlaylists Wordoftheday:'Scotland' HindiTranslationof'subtle' NEWfromCollins! EnglishGrammar CollinsApps WordFrequency subtleinBritishEnglish (ˈsʌtəl ) adjective1. notimmediatelyobviousorcomprehensible 2. difficulttodetectoranalyse,oftenthroughbeingdelicateorhighlyrefined asubtlescent 3. showingormakingorcapableofshowingormakingfinedistinctionsofmeaning 4. markedbyorrequiringmentalacutenessoringenuity;discriminating 5. delicateorfaint asubtleshade 6. cunningorwily asubtlerogue 7. operatingorexecutedinsecret asubtleintrigue CollinsEnglishDictionary.Copyright©HarperCollinsPublishers Derivedformssubtleness(ˈsubtleness)noun subtly(ˈsubtly)adverb WordoriginC14:fromOldFrenchsoutil,fromLatinsubtīlisfinelywoven WordFrequency subtleinAmericanEnglish (ˈsʌtəl ) adjectiveWordforms:ˈsubtler(ˈsʌtlər ;ˈsʌtələr )orˈsubtlest1.  thin;rare;tenuous;notdenseorheavy asubtlegas 2. a.  capableofmakingornoticingfinedistinctionsinmeaning,etc. asubtlethinker b.  markedbyorrequiringmentalkeenness subtlereasoning 3.  delicatelyskillfulorclever;deftoringenious asubtlefiligree 4.  notopenordirect;crafty;sly 5.  delicatelysuggestive;notgrosslyobvious asubtlehint 6.  workinginsidiously;noteasilydetected asubtlepoison Webster’sNewWorldCollegeDictionary,4thEdition.Copyright©2010by HoughtonMifflinHarcourt.Allrightsreserved. Derivedformssubtleness(ˈsubtleness) noun subtly(ˈsubtly) adverb WordoriginMEsotil