What does “delicacy” mean?
- 1
nouna rare or expensive food that is considered special
Snails are a delicacy in France.
- 2
nounthe need for great care because a situation might upset people
The issue must be handled with delicacy.
Delicacy at a glance
- Part of speech
- noun
- CEFR level
- C1 (advanced)
- Pronunciation
- /ˈdɛlɪkəsi/ · DEL-ih-kuh-see
How to use “delicacy” correctly
The “tact” sense is useful in formal writing: “the delicacy of the situation”.
Common phrases with “delicacy”
- a local delicacy
- a matter of some delicacy
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Synonyms (similar meaning)
- treat
- tact
- sensitivity
Word family
- delicate
- delicately
“delicacy” is on these word lists
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