What does delicate mean?
Word: Delicate
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Delicate means easily broken, hurt or damaged, so it needs gentle handling. Delicate can also mean fine and soft, like a delicate flavour.
Synonyms: fragile, fine, dainty, soft
Antonyms: strong, tough
How do you spell delicate?
Syllables: del - i - cate
Tricky part: The short middle beat is just the letter i (delecate is wrong). There is only one l.
Watch out for: delecate, dellicate, delicat
Memory tip: Delicate starts with the same five letters as delicious: d-e-l-i-c. A delicate cake can be delicious too.
Delicate in a sentence
Example 1: Pack the glass bangles carefully; they are delicate.
Example 2: A newborn baby has delicate skin.
Example 3: Mamma embroidered delicate flowers on my dupatta.
Fun Fact
Delicate came into English in the 1300s from the Latin delicatus, which meant pleasing or charming.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word:
delicate
a) pretty
b) shiny
c) sturdy
d) tiny
Show answer
c) sturdy. Sturdy things are strong and hard to break, unlike delicate ones.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) climate
b) delicete
c) private
d) chocolate
Show answer
b) delicete. Delicate ends in ate, the same as chocolate, climate and private, which are all spelt correctly.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
tlcaeide
a) delitace
b) delicaet
c) delictae
d) delicate
Show answer
d) delicate. Start with the five letters it shares with delicious, then fit the last three.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
delicatte
a) t
b) c
c) a
d) e
Show answer
a) t. Delicate needs just one t near the end.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Out of these, the most delicate thing is ____.
a) an iron gate
b) a soap bubble
c) a cricket bat
d) a brick wall
Show answer
b) a soap bubble
2. Mamma washes her silk saree by hand because it is delicate. In a rough wash, the silk could ____.
a) get torn or spoilt
b) grow longer
c) turn waterproof
d) become thicker
Show answer
a) get torn or spoilt
