subtlety

Definition

The quality of being subtle.

Etymology

From Middle English sotilte, from Old French sutilté, inherited from Latin subtīlitās, from subtīlis (“subtle”). Equivalent to subtle + -ty. Doublet of subtility.

Example Sentences

• "the subtlety of the Mona Lisa’s smile"
• "[H]e had a lifetime of skill in interpreting his father's gestures: those bent knees meant that something of great subtlety was about to be revealed."
• "the subtlety of a writer’s analysis / of a singer’s phrasing"