subtle

sub·tle

Use subtle in a sentence

Gloria told her hair stylist that she wanted to get natural, subtle highlights.

Gloria told her hair stylist that she wanted natural, subtle highlights.

adjective

The definition of something that is subtle is an indirect or very small distinction when comparing two things or ideas.

An example of subtle is adding a new spice to a recipe resulting in a very small change in the dish’s flavor.

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"subtle." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 July 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Subtle>.

APA Style

subtle. (n.d.). Retrieved July 15th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Subtle

subtle

adjective

sub′tler , sub′tlest

thin; rare; tenuous; not dense or heavy: a subtle gas
1. capable of making or noticing fine distinctions in meaning, etc.: a subtle thinker
2. marked by or requiring mental keenness: subtle reasoning
delicately skillful or clever; deft or ingenious: a subtle filigree
not open or direct; crafty; sly
delicately suggestive; not grossly obvious: a subtle hint
working insidiously; not easily detected: a subtle poison

Origin of subtle

Middle English sotil from Old French soutil from Classical Latin subtilis, fine, thin, precise, origin, originally , closely woven from sub- (see sub-) + tela, web from an unverified form texla from texere, to weave: see technic

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Link to this page

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MLA Style

"subtle." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 July 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Subtle>.

APA Style

subtle. (n.d.). Retrieved July 15th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Subtle

subtle

adjective

sub·tler, sub·tlest

a. So slight as to be difficult to detect or describe; elusive: a subtle smile.
b. Difficult to understand; abstruse: an argument whose subtle point was lost on her opponent.
Able to make fine distinctions: a subtle mind.
Operating in a hidden, usually injurious way; insidious: a subtle poison.
Archaic
a. Characterized by skill or ingenuity; clever.
b. Crafty or sly; devious.

Origin of subtle

Middle English sotil from Old French from Latin subtīlis ; see teks- in Indo-European roots.

Related Forms:

sub′tle·ness
noun

sub′tly
adverb

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"subtle." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 July 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Subtle>.

APA Style

subtle. (n.d.). Retrieved July 15th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Subtle

Adjective

(comparative subtler, superlative subtlest)

Hard to grasp; not obvious or easily understood; barely noticeable.
The difference is subtle, but you can hear it if you listen carefully.
(of a thing) Cleverly contrived.
(of a person or animal) Cunning, skillful.
insidious
Tenuous; rarefied; of low density or thin consistency.

Related terms

Origin

From Middle English sotil, subtil, from Old French soutil, later subtil, French subtil, from Latin subtilis (“fine, thin, slender, delicate"); probably, originally, “woven fine", and from sub (“under") + tela (“a web"), from texere (“to weave").