- (superl.) Characterized by refinement and niceness in drawing distinctions; nicely discriminating; -- said of persons; as, a subtle logician; refined; tenuous; sinuous; insinuating; hence, penetrative or pervasive; -- said of the mind; its faculties or its operations; as, a subtle intellect; a subtle imagination; a subtle process of thought; also, difficult of apprehension; elusive.
- (superl.) Sly in design; artful; cunning; insinuating; subtile; -- applied to persons; as, a subtle foe.
- (superl.) Smooth and deceptive.
- (superl.) Cunningly devised; crafty; treacherous; as, a subtle stratagem.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). subtle. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/subtle/definitions/2068004 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "subtle" http://smartdefine.org/subtle/definitions/2068004 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, subtle, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/subtle/definitions/2068004>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "subtle" 28 May 2011. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/subtle/definitions/2068004> |