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.
Of an action or movement: very delicate or slight, and thus barely noticeable; not obvious; inconspicuous, unintrusive.
The mighty Magnet from the Center darts / This ſtrong, tho' ſubtile Force, thro' all the Parts: / Its active Rays ejaculated thence, / Irradiate all the wide Circumference.1712, Richard Blackmore, Creation: A Philosophical Poem. Demonstrating the Existence and Providence of a God. In Seven Books, book I, London: Printed for S. Buckley, at the Dolphin in Little-Britain; and J[acob] Tonson, at Shakespear's Head over-against Catherine-Street in the Strand, OCLC 731619916; 5th edition, Dublin: Printed by S. Powell, for G. Risk, G. Ewing, and W. Smith, in Dame's-street, 1727, OCLC 728300884, page 7
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Archaic Having a delicate or fine substance or texture; hence, exquisite, refined.
Archaic Of a substance: finely powdered; also, of particles of a substance: very fine or small.
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Archaic Of weight: after the tare (“weight of an empty container”) has been subtracted; net.
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Historical Of a substance, especially a gas or liquid: of low density or thin consistency; rarefied, tenuous; hence, tending to spread everywhere due to this quality.
Of an argument or concept, words, etc.: requiring one to distinguish between fine points, especially if it is difficult to do so; nice; also (generally), difficult to grasp; not easily understood or obvious.
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Giving only a slight impression; elusive, indistinct; also, skilfully restrained or understated.
The difference between the tones is subtle, but you can hear it if you listen carefully.
Although the show gradually grows more subtle, much of the early writing that establishes the characters is so on the nose it hurts. Any time we see Walt [Walter White] in class, it’s certain that what he writes on the chalkboard will echo events in his secret life.2013 August 12, Stephen Bowie, “The Case against Breaking Bad”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 15 Nov 2019:
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Of an artist, a musician, etc.: having a light touch; sensitive.
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Of a person: sensitive to the feelings of others; discreet, tactful.
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Of a person, their intellect or mind, etc.: discerning, perceptive, shrewd, wise.
[T]his heauenly foode is giuen for the ſatisfying of our emptie ſoules, and not for the exerciſing of our curious and ſubtle vvits.1597, Richard Hooker, “Of the Sacrament of the Body & Bloud of Christ”, in J[ohn] S[penser], editor, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], 2nd edition, London: […] Will[iam] Stansby [for Matthew Lownes], published 1611, →OCLC, book V, page 359:
Lords and Commons of England, conſider vvhat Nation it is vvherof ye are, and vvherof ye are the governours: a Nation not ſlovv and dull, but of a quick, ingenious, and piercing ſpirit, acute to invent, ſuttle and ſinevvy to diſcours, not beneath the reach of any point the higheſt that human capacity can ſoar to.1644, John Milton, Areopagitica; a Speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc’d Printing, to the Parlament of England, London: [s.n.], →OCLC, page 30:
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VVhen ſubtle VVits have ſpun their thred too fine, / Tis vveak and fragile like Arachnes line: […]1668, John Denham, “The Progress of Learning”, in Poems and Translations, with The Sophy, London: […] [John Macock] for H[enry] Herringman […], →OCLC, page 183:
[Tomaso] Malvenda, a Spaniſh divine, vvho took the conduct of the debate on the part of the Catholics, managed it vvith all the ſubtle dexterity of a ſcholaſtic metaphyſician, more ſtudious to perplex his adverſaries than to convince them, and more intent on palliating error than on diſcovering truth.1769, William Robertson, “Book VII”, in The History of the Reign of the Emperor Charles V. […], volume III, London: […] W. and W. Strahan, for W[illiam] Strahan, T[homas] Cadell, […]; and J. Balfour, […], →OCLC, pages 62–63:
The most subtle and powerful intellects have been labouring for centuries to solve these difficulties.1830 July, [Thomas Babington] Macaulay, “[Contributions to the Edinburgh Review.] Sadler’s Law of Population.”, in T[homas] F[lower] E[llis], editor, The Miscellaneous Writings and Speeches of Lord Macaulay, new edition, London: Longman, Green, Reader, & Dyer, published 1871, →OCLC, page 229:
Like a peripatetic philosopher, Mr. Verloc, strolling along the streets of London, had modified Stevie's view of the police by conversations full of subtle reasonings.1906 January–October, Joseph Conrad, chapter XI, in The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale (Collection of British Authors; 3995), copyright edition, London: Bernhard Tauchnitz, published 1907, →OCLC, page 231:
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Acting (especially causing harm) in a stealthy, often gradual, manner; insidious.
And if King Edward be as true and iuſt, / As I am Subtle, Falſe, and Treacherous, […]c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 173:
As for thee, false friend, subtle fox, unfaithful servant, this long time am I grown weary of thee slinking up and down my palace devising darkly things I know not: thou, that art nought akin to Witchland, but an outlander, a Goblin exile, a serpent warmed in my bosom to my hurt.1922, E[ric] R[ücker] Eddison, “The Wrastling for Demonland”, in The Worm Ouroboros: A Romance, London: Jonathan Cape […], →OCLC, page 24:
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Archaic Of a person or their fingers or hands, their ability, etc.: dexterous, skilful.
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Archaic Of a person or animal, or of an action or words: clever or skilful in a crafty or devious way; cunning, sly, wily.
If thou thinke thy ſelfe well fenſed and ſure, / Againſt euery ſottle ſuggeſtion of vice, / Conſider fraile glaſſe may no diſtres endure, / And great aduentures oft curſe the dire: […]a. 1536 (date written), Thomas More, “The Life of John Picus Erle of Myrandula, […]. Twelue Rules of John Picus Earle of Mirandula, Partely Exciting, Partely Directing a Man in Spiritual Bataile. [The .IX. Rule.].”, in Wyllyam Rastell [i.e., William Rastell], editor, The Workes of Sir Thomas More Knyght, […], London: […] Iohn Cawod, Iohn Waly, and Richarde Tottell, published 30 April 1557, →OCLC, page 23:
By vnion of the Godhed to the manhod, manne was ioyned to God whiche before by the temptacion of the ſubtle ſerpente, was from hym ſegregate and deuided.a. 1548 (date written), Edward Hall, Richard Grafton, “[The Vnquiet Tyme of Kyng Henry the Fourthe.] An Introduccion into the History of Kyng Henry the Fourthe.”, in The Vnion of the Two Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre & Yorke, […], London: […] Rychard Grafton, […] [and Steven Mierdman], published 1550, →OCLC, folio i, verso:
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Yea, rede Terence and Plaut[us] aduiſedlie ouer, and ye ſhall finde in thoſe two wiſe writers, almoſt in euery commedie, no vnthriftie yong man, that is not brought there vnto, by the ſotle inticement of ſom lewd ſeruant.a. 1569 (date written), Roger Ascham, “The First Booke for the Youth [Teachyng the Brynging vp of Youth]”, in Margaret Ascham, editor, The Scholemaster: Or Plaine and Perfite Way of Teaching Children, to Vnderstand, Write, and Speake, the Latin Tong, […], London: […] John Daye, […], published 1570, →OCLC, folio 15, verso:
He that is ſuttleleſt and fulleſt of ſhiftes, is the handſommeſt man: and ſuch kinde of dealing is eſteemed as a vertue.1583, Iohn Caluin [i.e., John Calvin], “On Wednesday the VIIJ. of May. 1555. The XVJ. Sermon which is the Second vpon the Third Chapter”, in Arthur Golding, transl., The Sermons of M. Iohn Caluin vpon the Fifth Booke of Moses Called Deuteronomie: […], London: […] Henry Middleton for Thomas Woodcocke, →OCLC, page 94, column 1:
A ſubtle Traitor needs no Sophiſter.1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 145, column 1:
Is not thy kindneſſe ſubtle, couetous, / If not a Vſuring kindneſſe, and as rich men deale Guifts, / Expecting in returne tvventy for one?c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii], page 95, column 1:
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Obsolete Of ground used for bowling: not smooth; uneven.
Like to a Bovvle vpon a ſubtle ground / I haue tumbled paſt the throvv: […]c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii], page 26, column 1:
[V]pon Tityus his breſt, that (for ſixe of the nine acres) is counted the ſubtleſt bovvling-ground in all Tartary.1631, [Ben Jonson], Chloridia. Rites to Chloris and Her Nymphs. […], London: […] Thomas Walkley, →OCLC, signature B, recto:
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Obsolete Of an object: cleverly contrived or made; also, of a plan, etc.: cleverly contrived or carried out.
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.
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People or things that are subtle (adjective sense) as a class.
subtle
verb
Etymology
Partly from both of the following: * From Middle English sotilen, subtile, subtilien (“to reflect on (something); to become mentally keen; to connive, scheme; to contrive, invent; to become pure or thin; to (cause something to) become light or thin; (medicine) to lighten or reduce (a diet)”), from Anglo-Norman sotiller, soutiller, sutiller, Middle French soutiller, soutillier, and Old French soutillier (“to make thin; to sharpen; to split hairs when arguing; to scheme, plot”), from Old French sotil, soutil, subtil, sutil (noun) (see etymology 1) + -ier (suffix forming infinitives of first-conjugation verbs), partly influenced by Late Latin subtīliāre, the present active infinitive of subtīliō (“to act craftily; to diminish”), from Latin subtīlis (adjective) (see etymology 1) + -ō (suffix forming regular first-conjugation verbs). * From subtle (adjective).
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US To make (something) subtle (“giving only a slight impression; also, skilfully restrained or understated”).
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Obsolete, Rare To burn (someone or something) to ash.
A fire ſubtle ye, are ye ſo crafty.1624 (first performance), John Fletcher, Rule a Wife and Have a Wife. A Comoedy. […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Leonard Lichfield […], published 1640, →OCLC, Act IV, scene i, page 43: