tangible

[ tan-juh-buhl ]

/ ˈtæn dʒə bəl /

adjective

capable of being touched; discernible by the touch; material or substantial.

real or actual, rather than imaginary or visionary: the tangible benefits of sunshine.

definite; not vague or elusive: no tangible grounds for suspicion.

(of an asset) having actual physical existence, as real estate or chattels, and therefore capable of being assigned a value in monetary terms.

noun

something tangible, especially a tangible asset.

Nearby words

tangential, tangential motion, tangentiality, tangerine, tangi, tangible, tangier, tangier disease, tangier zone, tangka, tangle

Origin of tangible

1580–90; < Late Latin tangibilis, equivalent to Latin tang(ere) to touch + -ibilis -ible

SYNONYMS FOR tangible

1 palpable, corporeal.

2 certain, genuine, perceptible.

3 specific.

Related forms

tan·gi·bil·i·ty, tan·gi·ble·ness, nountan·gi·bly, adverbnon·tan·gi·ble, adjectivenon·tan·gi·ble·ness, noun

non·tan·gi·bly, adverbpre·tan·gi·ble, adjectivepre·tan·gi·bly, adverbqua·si-tan·gi·ble, adjectivequa·si-tan·gi·bly, adverbun·tan·gi·ble, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for non-tangible

tangible

/ (ˈtændʒəbəl) /

adjective

capable of being touched or felt; having real substancea tangible object

capable of being clearly grasped by the mind; substantial rather than imaginarytangible evidence

having a physical existence; corporealtangible assets

noun

(often plural) a tangible thing or asset

Derived Forms

tangibility or tangibleness, nountangibly, adverb

Word Origin for tangible

C16: from Late Latin tangibilis, from Latin tangere to touch

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012