grăcĭlĭtas, ātis, f. [gracilis], slenderness, thinness, leanness, meagreness.
I Lit. (class.; syn.: macies, subtilitas): erat eo tempore in nobis summa gracilitas et infirmitas corporis, Cic. Brut. 91, 313: cervicis et crurum, Suet. Calig. 50: crurum, id. ib. 3; id. Dom. 18: digitalis (vitis), Plin. 14, 3, 4, § 40; cf.: papyrum in gracilitatem fastigatum, id. 13, 11, 22, § 71.— Plur. : habet certos sui studiosos (Lysias), qui non tam habitus corporis opimos, quam gracilitates consectentur, Cic. Brut. 16, 64.—
II Trop., of style, simplicity , plainness , want of ornament (post-Aug.): quid Periclea? similemne credimus Lysiacae gracilitati? Quint. 12, 10, 24; cf.: exempla in Latina lingua M. Varro esse dicit ubertatis Pacuvium, gracilitatis Lucilium, mediocritatis Terentium, Gell. 7, 14, 6 (v. the whole 14th chap.): pressa illa narrationis, Quint. 4, 3, 2; 1, 9, 2.