tangible

Where does the word "tangible" come from? It comes from Latin tangere, passing through Late Latin before entering English (1580s).

Tangible’s story begins in Latin: tangere meant “to touch.” The root of 'tact', 'contact' and 'tangent'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Late Latin as tangibilis. Able to be touched, from tangere. It reached English by 1580s as tangible. Settled as the English word for something able to be touched or clearly real. Today, tangible means able to be touched or perceived, or clearly real and definite.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient tangere "to touch", the root of 'tact', 'contact' and 'tangent'.
2. Stage 2 · Late Latin · medieval tangibilis "able to be touched", able to be touched, from tangere.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1580s tangible "able to be touched, or clearly real and definite", settled as the English word for something able to be touched or clearly real.