Subtile

Subtile is an historical or variant spelling of the English adjective subtle. In older texts, subtile carried the same range of meanings as the modern subtle: delicate, fine, or difficult to perceive; and also describing something clever, sly, or crafted with wit.

Etymology and historical usage: The form subtile derives from Latin subtilis meaning fine, delicate, or shrewd, passing through Old French subtil and into Middle English. The -e ending was common in Middle English orthography, but modern standard English favors subtle for the adjective and subtlety for the noun. In past literature, subtile appeared in phrases such as a subtile argument or subtile wit, reflecting the broader semantic range of subtle.

Modern usage and status: In contemporary English, subtile is largely obsolete outside of historical quotations, philological discussions, or studies of older texts. For everyday writing, the preferred forms are subtle (adjective) and subtlety (noun). When encountered in scholarly editions or translations of early works, subtile provides a window into older spelling conventions and lexical variation.

Variants and related forms: Related historical spellings include subtil and subtile, with subtile sometimes accompanied by adverbial forms that appear as subtilely in some texts. The modern relatives are subtle, subtleness (less common), and subtlety. Subtile is not used as a standard term in contemporary English and is typically understood only in historical contexts.

In summary, subtile is a historical variant of subtle, reflecting English orthography prior to standardization; it remains of interest primarily to linguists, philologists, and readers studying older literature.