English
subtlety
Subtlety comes from Middle English sotilte ‘an unfair argument that uses sophistry or…’, from Latin tēla ‘a web’, and ultimately from Proto-Italic *tekslā.
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*tekslāreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtēla‘a web’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsubtīlis‘subtle’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsubtīlitās‘exactness, subtlety’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400sutilté
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sotilte‘an unfair argument that uses sophistry or subtlety’
- Englishearliest quotation 1548subtlety
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*tekslāreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtēla‘a web’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsubtīlis‘subtle’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsubtīlitās‘exactness, subtlety’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400sutilté
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sotilte‘an unfair argument that uses sophistry or subtlety’
- Englishearliest quotation 1548subtlety
Earliest quotation: 1548, Edward Hall, The triumphaunt reigne of Kyng Henry the .VIII.: “the seruice […] was sumpteous, with many subtleties, straunge…”
Formed from subtle + -ty
Latin subtīlis ‘of texture: delicate, fine’
Anglo-Norman sotel
Middle English sotil ‘Discerning, perceptive, effective, intelligent’
English subtle
Linked words
through Latin tēla ‘a web’
Today it means
noun The quality of being scarcely noticeable or difficult to discern. (of things)
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Italic *tekslā / subtlety