1 [count] : a food that people like to eat because it is special or rare
▪ The restaurant serves delicious sausages and other regional delicacies. 2 [noncount] : the quality of being delicate: such as a : the quality of being easily broken or damaged
▪ the delicacy of the glassware
b : the quality of being easily injured, hurt, or made sick
▪ the delicacy [=frailty] of his health
c : the attractive quality of something that is formed from many small or fine parts
▪ The curtains were made from fine lace of great delicacy. ▪ a musician known for the delicacy of her compositions ▪ the delicacy of the young boy's features
d : the appealing quality of something that is not too strong
▪ the delicacy of the perfume ▪ the delicacy of the wine's flavor 3 [noncount] a : special care or skill that is needed to prevent people from becoming upset or angry
▪ This is a difficult situation that should be handled with delicacy. [=tact]
b : the quality of requiring special care or skill
▪ Because of the delicacy of the situation, we needed to speak privately.