exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury; "a delicate violin passage"; "delicate china"; "a delicate flavor"; "the delicate wing of a butterfly"
A delicate task, movement, action, or product needs or shows great skill and attention to detail. a long and delicate operation carried out at a hospital in Florence + delicately deli·cate·ly the delicately embroidered sheets
A secondary coffee taste sensation characterized by fragile sweet-subtle sensation just past the tip of the tongue Caused by the lowest possible combination of sugars and salts that still produce a sweet cast to the taste, a combination easily broken up by other taste sensations Typified by a washed New Guinea arabica coffee
Nicely discriminating or perceptive; refinedly critical; sensitive; exquisite; as, a delicate taste; a delicate ear for music
Requiring careful handling; not to be rudely or hastily dealt with; nice; critical; as, a delicate subject or question
If something is delicate, it is easy to harm, damage, or break, and needs to be handled or treated carefully. Although the coral looks hard, it is very delicate. = fragile robust
easily broken or damaged or destroyed; "a kite too delicate to fly safely"; "fragile porcelain plates"; "fragile old bones"; "a frail craft"