nuance
UK /ˈnjuː.ɑːns/ · US /ˈnju.ɑns/ noun, verb
Forms nuances nuancing nuanced
- noun (countable) A minor distinction. “hidden nuances”
- noun Subtlety or fine detail. “Understanding the basics is easy, but appreciating the nuances takes years.”
- verb (transitive) To apply a nuance to; to change or redefine in a subtle way.
Synonyms
Etymology
Borrowed from French nuance (“nuance, shade, hue”). Omitting several steps, from Latin nūbēs.
Compare typologically Italian sfumatura (< Latin fūmus).
Webster’s 1913
- noun A shade of difference; a delicate gradation.
Etymology [F.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “nuance”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details