Meaning
thin; subtle
- thin
- fine; delicate
- subtle
In a sentence
Questo foglio è molto sottile.
This sheet is very thin.
Ha una voce sottile.
She has a thin voice.
Non mi piacciono i capelli così sottili.
I don't like hair that fine.
Word forms (4)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| sottile | masculine · singular |
| sottile | feminine · singular |
| sottili | masculine · plural |
| sottili | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- Use sottile for physical thinness or figurative nuance; magro/snello usually describe a thin person more directly.
- For sounds, arguments, or distinctions, sottile often means subtle or fine-grained, not physically thin.
- With fabrics, wires, lines, and hair, sottile is very common; piccolo or leggero usually sound wrong here.