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Ingenious vs Subtle - What's the difference?

ingenious | subtle |

As adjectives the difference between ingenious and subtle

is that ingenious is displaying genius or brilliance; tending to invent while subtle is hard to grasp; not obvious or easily understood; barely noticeable.

ingenious

English

Alternative forms

* engenious

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Displaying genius or brilliance; tending to invent.
    • This fellow is ingenious ; he fixed a problem I didn't even know I had.
  • Characterized by genius; cleverly done or contrived.
    • That is an ingenious model of the atom.
  • Witty; original; shrewd; adroit; keen; sagacious.
    • He sent me an ingenious reply for an email.

    Usage notes

    Do not confuse with ingenuous.

    Synonyms

    * See also * See also

    Related terms

    * engine * engineer * genius * ingeniosity * ingeniousness

    References

    * *

    subtle

    English

    Alternative forms

    * subtil (obsolete) * subtile (obsolete)

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Hard to grasp; not obvious or easily understood; barely noticeable.
    • The difference is subtle , but you can hear it if you listen carefully.
  • (of a thing) Cleverly contrived.
  • (of a person or animal) Cunning, skillful.
  • insidious
  • * 1623 , , act iv, scene 4,
    • Thy age confirmed, proud, subtle , bloody, treacherous.
  • Tenuous; rarefied; of low density or thin consistency.

    • Synonyms

    * crafty, cunning, skillful * (insidious) insidious

    Antonyms

    * (hard to grasp) simple

    Derived terms

    * subtle body * subtleness * subtlety * subtly

    References

    * * *

    Anagrams

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