different between tricky vs intricate

English

Etymology

From trick +? -y.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /t??ki/

• Rhymes: -?ki

Adjective

tricky (comparative trickier, superlative trickiest)

1. hard to deal with, complicated

   They were in a tricky situation.
2. adept at using deception

   A tricky salesman can sell anything.

3. (colloquial, slang) Relating to or associated with a prostitution trick

   I don't want any of your tricky money, thank you!

Related terms

• trick

Translations

See also

• sneaky

English

Etymology 1

From Latin intricatus, past participle of intricare.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??n.t??.k?t/

Adjective

intricate (comparative more intricate, superlative most intricate)

1. Having a great deal of fine detail or complexity.
   • As a matter of fact its narrow ornate façade presented not a single quiet space that the eyes might rest on after a tiring attempt to follow and codify the arabesques, foliations, and intricate vermiculations of what some disrespectfully dubbed as “near-aissance.”

Translations

Etymology 2

As the adjective; or by analogy with extricate

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??n.t??.ke?t/

Verb

intricate (third-person singular simple present intricates, present participle intricating, simple past and past participle intricated)

1. (intransitive) To become enmeshed or entangled.
   • 1864 October 18, J.E. Freund, “How to Avoid the Use of Lint”, letter to the editor, in The New York Times (1864 October 23):

     […] washes off easily, without sticking or intricating into the wound.

2. (transitive) To enmesh or entangle: to cause to intricate.
   • 1994 December 12, William Safire, “Avoid Dunkirk II” (essay), in The New York Times:

     But the British and French won't hear of that; they want to get their troops extricated and our ground troops intricated.

References

• intricate at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• acitretin, triacetin, triactine

Italian

Adjective

intricate f pl

1. feminine plural of intricato

Verb

intricate

1. second-person plural present of intricare
2. second-person plural imperative of intricare
3. feminine plural past participle of intricare

Anagrams

• recintati
• trinciate

Latin

Verb

intr?c?te

1. second-person plural present active imperative of intr?c?