noli me tangere

[noh-lahy mee tan-juh-ree, noh-lee, noh-lee me tahng-ge-re]

noun

1. a person or thing that must not be touched or interfered with.

2. a picture representing Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection.

3. Also noli-me-tangere. the touch-me-not.

noli-me-tangere

/ ˈnəʊlɪˌmeɪˈtæŋɡərɪ /

noun

1. a warning against interfering or against touching a person or thing

2. a work of art depicting Christ appearing to Mary Magdalene after His Resurrection

3. another name for touch-me-not

4. a cancerous ulcer affecting soft tissue and bone

Word History and Origins

Origin of noli-me-tangere¹

< Latin: do not touch me (Jesus' words to Mary Magdalene)

Word History and Origins

Origin of noli-me-tangere¹

from Latin: do not touch me, the words spoken by Christ to Mary Magdalene (Vulgate, John 20:17)