different between slender vs delicate

English

Etymology

From Middle English slendre, sclendre, from Old French esclendre (“thin, slender”), from Old Dutch slinder (“thin, lank”), from Proto-Germanic *slindraz (“sliding, slippery”), from Proto-Indo-European *sleyd?- (“to slip”). Cognate with Bavarian Schlenderling (“that which dangles”), German schlendern (“to saunter, stroll”), Dutch slidderen, slinderen (“to wriggle, creep like a serpent”), Low German slindern (“to slide on ice”). More at slide, slither.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?sl?nd?/
• (General American) enPR: sl?n?d?r, IPA^(key): /?sl?nd?/
• Rhymes: -?nd?(?)
• Hyphenation: slen?der

Adjective

slender (comparative slenderer, superlative slenderest)

1. Thin; slim.

2. (figuratively) meagre; deficient

   Being a person of slender means, he was unable to afford any luxuries.

3. (Gaelic languages) Palatalized.

Synonyms

• (thin): lithe, svelte, willowy; see also Thesaurus:slender
• (meagre): insufficient, scarce, sparse; see also Thesaurus:inadequate

Antonyms

• (palatalized): broad
• See also Thesaurus:obese

Derived terms

• slender reed

Translations

Anagrams

• lenders, relends

English

Etymology

From Middle English delicat, from Latin delicatus (“giving pleasure, delightful, soft, luxurious, delicate, in Medieval Latin also fine, slender”), from delicia, usually in plural deliciae (“pleasure, delight, luxury”), from delicere (“to allure”), from de (“away”) + lacere (“to allure, entice”). Compare Spanish delgado (“thin, skinny”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?d?l?k?t/

Adjective

delicate (comparative more delicate, superlative most delicate)

1. Easily damaged or requiring careful handling.
2. Characterized by a fine structure or thin lines.

3. Intended for use with fragile items.

4. Refined; gentle; scrupulous not to trespass or offend; considerate; said of manners, conduct, or feelings.

5. Of weak health; easily sick; unable to endure hardship.
6. (informal) Unwell, especially because of having drunk too much alcohol.

   Please don't speak so loudly: I'm feeling a bit delicate this morning.

7. (obsolete) Addicted to pleasure; luxurious; voluptuous; alluring.
   • circa 1660, John Evelyn (author), William Bray (editor), The Diary of John Evelyn, volume I of II (1901), entry for the 19th of August in 1641, page 29:

     Haerlem is a very delicate town and hath one of the fairest churches of the Gothic design I had ever seen.

8. Pleasing to the senses; refined; adapted to please an elegant or cultivated taste.

9. Slight and shapely; lovely; graceful.
   • circa 1603, William Shakespeare, Othello, act II, scene iii, lines 18 and 20–21:

     Cassio:   She’s a most exquisite lady.…Indeed, she’s a most fresh and delicate creature.

10. Light, or softly tinted; said of a colour.

11. Of exacting tastes and habits; dainty; fastidious.
12. Highly discriminating or perceptive; refinedly critical; sensitive; exquisite.

13. Affected by slight causes; showing slight changes.

Synonyms

• (easily damaged): fragile

Related terms

• delicacy
• delicately
• delicatessen
• delicious
• delight

Translations

Noun

delicate (plural delicates)

1. A delicate item of clothing, especially underwear or lingerie.

2. (obsolete) A choice dainty; a delicacy.
3. (obsolete) A delicate, luxurious, or effeminate person.

Further reading

• delicate in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• delicate in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /de.li?ka.te/

Adjective

delicate

1. feminine plural of delicato

Anagrams

• dateceli

Latin

Adjective

d?lic?te

1. vocative masculine singular of d?lic?tus

References

• delicate in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• delicate in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• delicate in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré Latin-Français, Hachette

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /deli?kate/

Adjective

delicate

1. feminine plural nominative of delicat
2. feminine plural accusative of delicat
3. neuter plural nominative of delicat
4. neuter plural accusative of delicat