indelicacy
C2Formal, literary
Definition
Meaning
The quality or state of being indelicate; lack of refinement, sensitivity, or propriety.
An act, expression, or topic that is offensive to good taste, modest sensibilities, or proper social behaviour.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often refers to breaches of tact, verbal impropriety, or socially offensive bluntness regarding sensitive subjects like money, sex, or bodily functions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major usage differences. The word is equally formal and low-frequency in both variants.
Connotations
Slightly stronger connotation of class-based or social judgement in British English.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both variants, primarily found in literary or highly formal criticism.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[verb] + indelicacy (commit/display/show an indelicacy)indelicacy + [preposition] + (of/ in) (indelicacy of expression)adjective + indelicacy (social/verbal indelicacy)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A social indelicacy”
- “Guilty of indelicacy”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might describe a blatant breach of professional etiquette, e.g., asking about a colleague's salary in an open meeting.
Academic
Used in literary criticism, social history, or etiquette studies to analyse breaches of decorum.
Everyday
Virtually unused in casual conversation. Found in formal writing or speech.
Technical
Not applicable.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adverb
British English
- He spoke rather indelicately about the incident.
American English
- The topic was indelicately broached over dinner.
adjective
British English
- His question was judged deeply indelicate.
American English
- She made an indelicate remark about his finances.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- His joke was considered an indelicacy at the formal event.
- The journalist was accused of indelicacy for asking such a personal question.
- The memoir was criticized for its indelicacy in discussing private family matters.
- Her social indelicacy, though unintentional, made several guests uncomfortable.
- The sheer indelicacy of his proposal left the boardroom in stunned silence.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: IN (not) + DELICACY (something fine/refined) = lacking refinement, being crude or tactless.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR IS TEXTURE (Indelicacy is roughness/coarseness vs. delicacy is fineness/smoothness).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'неуклюжесть' (clumsiness). Closer to 'бестактность', 'неделикатность', 'грубость'.
- The Russian 'деликатный' refers to tactful OR physically delicate. 'Indelicacy' captures only the lack of tact/social sensitivity.
Common Mistakes
- Using it to mean 'clumsiness' (physical).
- Confusing with 'indifference'.
- Using in informal contexts where 'tactless' or 'rude' would be more natural.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best exemplifies 'indelicacy'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a formal, low-frequency word (C2 level). More common synonyms are 'tactlessness' or 'impropriety'.
Rarely. It primarily describes verbal or social behaviour lacking in sensitivity or propriety. A physical act would more likely be called 'coarse' or 'vulgar'.
'Indelicacy' implies a more subtle breach of social nuance and tact, often unintentional. 'Rudeness' is broader and can describe overtly disrespectful behaviour.
No direct verb form. The related adjective is 'indelicate'. To express the action, you would use phrases like 'commit an indelicacy', 'behave indelicately', or 'show indelicacy'.