Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “delicacy” come from?

Delicacy comes from Middle English delicacie, from Middle English delicat, from Latin delicatus, from Latin delicia, ultimately derived from Latin de.

delicacy (English): The quality of being delicate; Something...

Definitions

  1. The quality of being delicate; Something...

Ancestry of “delicacy”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishdelicacie—
2Middle Englishdelicatdelicate
3Latindelicatusalluring, charming, delightful; voluptuous; soft,...
4Latindēliciae—
5Latindēliciō—
6Latindē-—
7Latindē—
8Latinpostbehind; after, since, besides, except; behind,...
9Latinposteablative singular of postis
10Proto-Italicposti—
11Proto-Indo-Europeanpósti—
12Proto-Indo-Europeanpósafterwards, post; by, at

Words derived from “delicacy”

  • indelicacy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pós →