tactile

Where does the word "tactile" come from? It comes from Latin tangere, and was adopted directly into English (1610s).

Tactile’s story begins in Latin: tangere meant “to touch.” The root of 'tact', 'contact' and 'intact'. It reached English by 1610s as tactile. Settled as the English word for anything relating to the sense of touch. Today, tactile means relating to the sense of touch.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient tangere "to touch", the root of 'tact', 'contact' and 'intact'.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1610s tactile "relating to the sense of touch", settled as the English word for anything relating to the sense of touch.