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# delicate

«delicate» in Mova's school dictionary: **easily broken or damaged, so it needs gentle care** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adjective (delicate, more delicate, most delicate)

### meaning for a pupil

1) Delicate means easily broken or damaged, so it needs gentle care. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delicate/#m1)

2) Delicate means fine, thin or light and pretty, like lace or a butterfly's wings. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delicate/#m2)

3) A delicate taste, colour or smell is soft and not strong. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delicate/#m3)

4) A delicate situation needs careful handling so nobody is upset. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delicate/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

In everyday life: delicate glasses, eggs, wash on a delicate cycle. In science, ecosystems and coral reefs are delicate. In stories, a delicate problem needs tact. Phrases: «handle with care, delicate», «a delicate balance», «a delicate matter».

### examples

- Be careful, the glass vase is very delicate. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delicate/#x1)
- A butterfly has delicate wings. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delicate/#x2)
- Wash this jumper on the delicate setting. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delicate/#x3)
- The soup had a delicate flavour of herbs. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delicate/#x4)
- Coral reefs are delicate and easily damaged. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delicate/#x5)
- Telling your friend the truth was a delicate matter. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delicate/#x6)
- The lace on the dress was delicate and white. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delicate/#x7)
- She was pretty and delicate indeed. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delicate/#x8)

### note

Pronounced «DEL-i-kut». Opposites: «strong», «sturdy», «tough». The noun is «delicacy», which can also mean a special food. Not to be confused with «delicious». Not a number word.

### In the corpora

- [Bright camera flashes over years can fade delicate colours and annoy visitors; many museums allow photos without flash.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/arts/17-museums-and-galleries-how-to-visit-and-what-is-there/10/)
- [Goggles are worn in the school lab because eyes are delicate and some chemicals damage them in seconds.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/chemistry/25-cleaning-chemicals-safety/18/)
- ["In a delicate condition" means pregnant; it is old-fashioned.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/euphemisms/4-illness-disability-and-babies/22/)
- ["Feeling delicate" in Britain is a polite way to say hungover.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/euphemisms/30-drinking-and-drugs/12/)
- [The comely and delicate one, the daughter of Zion, will I cut off.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/JER.170/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «delicate» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/delicate/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.