contact

American  

[kon-takt] / ˈkɒn tækt /

noun

1. the act or state of touching; a touching or meeting, as of two things or people.

2. immediate proximity or association.

3. an acquaintance, colleague, or relative through whom a person can gain access to information, favors, influential people, and the like.

4. Electricity. a junction of electric conductors, usually metal, that controls current flow, often completing or interrupting a circuit.

5. Geology. the interface, generally a planar surface, between strata that differ in lithology or age.

6. Medicine/Medical. a person who has lately been exposed to an infected person.

7. Sociology. a condition in which two or more individuals or groups are placed in communication with each other.

8. contact lens.

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verb (used with object)

contacts, present (3rd person singular) contacted, past participle, past contacting present participle

1. to put or bring into contact.

2. to communicate with.

   We'll contact you by mail or telephone.

verb (used without object)

contacts, present (3rd person singular) contacted, past participle, past contacting present participle

1. to enter into or be in contact.

adjective

1. involving or produced by touching or proximity.

   contact allergy.

contact British  

/ kɒnˈtæktjʊəl /

noun

1. the act or state of touching physically

2. the state or fact of close association or communication (esp in the phrases in contact, make contact )

3. 1. a junction of two or more electrical conductors

   2. the part of the conductors that makes the junction

   3. the part of an electrical device to which such connections are made

4. an acquaintance, esp one who might be useful in business, as a means of introduction, etc

5. any person who has been exposed to a contagious disease

6. photog See contact print

7. (usually plural) an informal name for contact lens

8. (modifier) of or relating to irritation or inflammation of the skin caused by touching the causative agent

   contact dermatitis

9. (modifier) denoting an insecticide or herbicide that kills on contact, rather than after ingestion or absorption

10. (modifier) of or maintaining contact

11. (modifier) requiring or involving (physical) contact

    the contact sport of boxing

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verb

1. to put, come, or be in association, touch, or communication

interjection

1. aeronautics (formerly) a call made by the pilot to indicate that an aircraft's ignition is switched on and that the engine is ready for starting by swinging the propeller

contact Scientific  

/ kŏn′tăkt′ /

1. Electricity

   1. A connection between two conductors that allows an electric current to flow.

   2. A part or device that makes or breaks a connection in an electrical circuit.

2. Geology The place where two different types of rock, or rocks of different ages, come together.

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Usage

Many verbs in English have derived from nouns. One can head an organization or toe the mark; butter the bread or bread the cutlet. Hence, grammatically at least, there is no historical justification for the once frequently heard criticism of contact used as a verb meaning “to communicate with”: The managing editor contacted each reporter personally. Despite the earlier objections to it and probably largely because there is no other one-word verb in the language to express the same idea, this use of contact has become standard in all types of speech and writing. Contact as a noun meaning “a person through whom one can gain access to information and the like” is also standard: My contact at the embassy says that the coup has been successful.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• uncontacted
  adjective
• noncontact
  noun
• contactual
  adjective
• contactually
  adverb
• recontact
  noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have contacted
  perfect
• has contacted
  perfect 3rd person singular
• are contacting
  progressive
• is contacting
  progressive 3rd person singular
• have been contacting
  perfect progressive
• has been contacting
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• am contacting
  progressive 1st person singular
• contacting
  participle
• contacts
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had contacted
  perfect
• were contacting
  progressive plural
• had been contacting
  perfect progressive
• was contacting
  progressive singular
• contacted
  participle
• contacted
  simple

Future

• will contact
  simple
• will have contacted
  perfect
• will be contacting
  progressive
• will have been contacting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of contact

First recorded in 1620–30; from Latin contāctus “a touch,” noun use of past participle of contingere “to touch together, each other, on all sides,” from con- con- + -tingere, combining form of tangere “to touch”; cf. attain, tango

Explanation

Contact is the act of touching or communicating with someone or something else. The question increasingly isn't whether there is other life in the universe, but how on earth we will ever make contact with it. "To make contact" (the noun) means to establish some form of communication, be it physical, verbal, or some other kind. To contact (the verb) means to establish that communication. If you're looking to contact Madonna, good luck. She's got people whose only job it is to prevent folks like you from making contact with her. Batteries have two contacts, one positive and one negative. They are where the battery makes contact with the thing to which it provides power.

Example Sentences

Contact tracing is lagging as the disease spreads in areas affected by armed conflict, displacement and poverty.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

Angie Fenn is head of information and advice at Contact, a charity which runs a helpline for parents and carers of disabled children up to the age of 25.

From BBC • May 27, 2026

Contact information for Sunit or a legal representative was not available to AFP.

From Barron's • May 25, 2026

Contact the administrator and explain that the check was deposited but later returned unpaid.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 27, 2026

After she hung up on him at two a.m., after she’s gone 100 percent No Contact, he was absent for three days, and she’s almost surprised to see him.

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti

Related Words

• approach
• call
• connect
• phone
• reach
• talk
• telephone
• visit