delicate

exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury

• “a delicate violin passage”
• “delicate china”
• “a delicate flavor”
• “the delicate wing of a butterfly”

marked by great skill especially in meticulous technique

• “a surgeon”

easily broken or damaged or destroyed

• “a kite too delicate to fly safely”
• “fragile porcelain plates”
• “fragile old bones”
• “a frail craft”

easily hurt

• “soft hands”
• “a baby”

developed with extreme delicacy and subtlety

• “the satire touches with finespun ridicule every kind of human pretense”

difficult to handle; requiring great tact

• “delicate negotiations with the big powers”
• “hesitates to be explicit on so ticklish a matter”
• “a touchy subject”

of an instrument or device; capable of registering minute differences or changes precisely

• “almost undetectable with even the most delicate instruments”