1 tactile | Definition of tactile

tactile

adjective
tac·​tile | \ ˈtak-tᵊl How to pronounce tactile (audio) , -ˌtī(-ə)l\

Definition of tactile

1 : perceptible by touch : tangible
2 : of, relating to, or being the sense of touch

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from tactile

tactilely \ ˈtak-​tə-​lē How to pronounce tactilely (audio) , -​ˌtī(-​ə)l-​lē \ adverb

Reach Out and Touch the Meaning of Tactile

Tangible is related to tactile, and so are intact, tact, contingent, tangent, and even entire. There's also the uncommon noun taction, meaning "the act of touching." Like tactile, all of these words can be traced back to the Latin verb tangere, meaning "to touch." Tactile was adopted by English speakers in the early 17th century (possibly by way of the French tactile) from the Latin adjective tactilis ("tangible"). Tactilis comes from tactus, a past participle of tangere.

Examples of tactile in a Sentence

He not only had visual difficulties but tactile ones, too—witness his grasping his wife's head and mistaking it for a hat … — Oliver Sacks, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2002 There is a tactile and therefore somatic dimension to stroking the chalk that keeps the artist in constant, responsible and responsive touch with his emerging creation. — Jed Perl, New Republic, 17 June 2002
See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Visitors grab stainless-steel handrails, a tactile sign of the unfolding modern retreat. — Emily Young, Los Angeles Times, "A tranquil garden getaway amid the hustle and bustle of Westwood," 3 Aug. 2019 That set of instincts — her preference for narrow, tactile proposals over grandly ambitious ones, her facility with procedure and unease with ideology — defines her approach to politics, according to Ms. Harris and her closest associates. — Alexander Burns, New York Times, "What Kamala Harris Believes," 27 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tactile.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of tactile

1615, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for tactile

French or Latin; French, from Latin tactilis, from tangere to touch — more at tangent entry 2

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for tactile

tactile

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of tactile

formal : relating to the sense of touch

tactile

adjective
tac·​tile | \ ˈtak-təl How to pronounce tactile (audio) \

Kids Definition of tactile

: relating to the sense of touch

tactile

adjective
tac·​tile | \ ˈtak-tᵊl How to pronounce tactile (audio) , -ˌtīl How to pronounce tactile (audio) \

Medical Definition of tactile

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 : of, relating to, mediated by, or affecting the sense of touch tactile sensations tactile stimuli tactile anesthesia
2 : having or being organs or receptors for the sense of touch

Other Words from tactile

tactilely \ -​ē How to pronounce tactilely (audio) \ adverb

tactile

noun

Medical Definition of tactile (Entry 2 of 2)

: a person whose prevailing mental imagery is tactile rather than visual, auditory, or motor — compare audile entry 1, motile entry 2, visualizer

Keep scrolling for more

More from Merriam-Webster on tactile

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with tactile

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for tactile

Spanish Central: Translation of tactile

Nglish: Translation of tactile for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of tactile for Arabic Speakers

×

You're never
too cool to learn something new.

Sign up for our Word of the Day
daily newsletter!