# subtle

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈsʌtl̩/ · frequency rank #6,301

## Definitions
1. Senses relating to tangible things.
2. Senses relating to tangible things.
3. Senses relating to tangible things.
4. Senses relating to tangible things.
5. Senses relating to tangible things.
6. Senses relating to tangible things.
7. Senses relating to tangible things.
8. Senses relating to intangible things.
9. Senses relating to intangible things.
10. Senses relating to intangible things.
11. Senses relating to intangible things.
12. Senses relating to intangible things.
13. Senses relating to intangible things.
14. Senses relating to intangible things.
15. Senses relating to intangible things.
16. Senses relating to intangible things.
17. Senses relating to intangible things.

## Etymology
The adjective is derived from Middle English sotil, soubtil, subtil (“of a person, the mind, etc.: clever, ingenious, penetrating; cunning, sly; insidious; delicate, fine; not dense, light, thin; finely powdered; narrow, slender; etc.”), borrowed from Anglo-Norman sotel, subtil, sutil, Middle French soutil, subtil, sutil, and Old French sotil, soutil, subtil, sutil (“of an object: skilfully designed or made; delicate, fine; slender, thin; of an intangible thing: difficult to understand; of a person: discerning, shrewd; devious, sly; etc.”) (modern French subtil), from Latin subtīlis (“of texture: delicate, fine; slender, thin; accurate, keen; having fine judgment; etc.”), from sub (“below, under”) + tēla (“warp (threads running lengthwise in a loom); web”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tetḱ- (“to create, produce; to cut, hew”), from *teḱ- (“to beget, sire”)). The word displaced Old English smēag (literally “creeping”).
The modern and Middle English (and French) spellings with -b- are influenced by Latin subtīlis; the letter was probably never pronounced.
The noun is derived from Middle English sotil, soubtil, subtil (“wise person; sophisticated people collectively”), from the adjective.

## Easily confused with
- **suite** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/subtle-vs-suite)
- **subtly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/subtle-vs-subtly)
- **supple** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/subtle-vs-supple)
- **subtype** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/subtle-vs-subtype)
- **subtlety** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/subtle-vs-subtlety)
- **sable** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sable-vs-subtle)
- **settle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/settle-vs-subtle)
- **subdue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/subdue-vs-subtle)
- **shuttle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shuttle-vs-subtle)
- **stubble** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stubble-vs-subtle)
- **scuttle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/scuttle-vs-subtle)
- **subtitle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/subtitle-vs-subtle)

## Common misspellings (9)
`sbutle`, `ssubtle`, `subbtle`, `sublte`, `subtel`, `subtlle`, `subttle`, `sutble`, `usbtle`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/subtle