noli me tangere

[ noh-lahy mee tan-juh-ree, noh-lee; Latin 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 noli-me-tange·re. 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)

Example Sentences

This quality is expressed twice over in the Latin name Impatiens noli-me-tangere.

From Project Gutenberg

Noli-me-tangere, the Scotch fiddle, or other contagious disease.

From Project Gutenberg

True, she had her lovely little serene, holy, noli-me-tangere air; but I thought that would pass.

From Project Gutenberg