caress
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
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to touch, pat, or stroke gently to show affection.
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to touch or seem to touch lightly.
The breeze caressed the trees.
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to treat with favor, kindness, etc.
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have caressedperfect
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has caressedperfect 3rd person singular
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are caressingprogressive
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have been caressingperfect progressive
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am caressingprogressive 1st person singular
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has been caressingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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is caressingprogressive 3rd person singular
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caressessingular 3rd person
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caressingparticiple
Past
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had caressedperfect
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were caressingprogressive plural
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caressedparticiple
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caressedsimple
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was caressingprogressive singular
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had been caressingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of caress
First recorded in 1605–15; from French caresse, from Italian carezza, from unattested Vulgar Latin caritia, equivalent to Latin cār(us) “dear” + -itia suffix of abstract nouns; cf. charity
Explanation
To caress someone or something means to stroke it gently in a loving or affectionate manner. Don't you love to caress the soft fur of your pet hamster or cat? The word caress can be either a verb or a noun, both of which refer primarily to the affectionate petting or stroking of another. You can also use caress to mean any sort of kind or loving action, and it can be accomplished by things other than people. The soft wind can caress your skin as you walk towards the ocean’s edge. And who doesn't love the caress of smooth silk sheets against your skin when you get into bed?!
Vocabulary lists containing caress
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
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The Secret Life of Bees
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"The Moustache" and "Who We Really Are"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Sturdy plants such as Viburnum davidii, Soft Caress Mahonia and ferns cover the ground with a variety of evergreen textures.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 3, 2023
The interviewer brought up the song "Last Caress," which contains some purposely shocking lyrics that the singer noted is not a songwriting method that would go over well today.
From Fox News • May 3, 2021
Elida beauty will consist of brands predominantly sold in Europe and North America, including Q-Tips, Caress, Tigi, Timotei, Impulse and MonSavon, which together generated revenues of around 600 million euros in 2020, the company said.
From Reuters • Apr. 29, 2021
In Edith Carlmar’s stylish 1949 Norwegian noir Death Is a Caress, about a mechanic who falls for a rich, older woman, this is due to the rigid class system.
From The Guardian • Feb. 19, 2020
But, this good King, it seems was told By some, that were with him too bold, If e'er you hope to gain your ends, Caress your foes, and trust your friends.
From The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) Volume II by Cibber, Theophilus
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
