tangible

[tan-juh-buhl]

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.

Origin of tangible

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

Related formstan·gi·bil·i·ty, tan·gi·ble·ness, nountan·gi·bly, adverbnon·tan·gi·ble, adjectivenon·tan·gi·ble·ness, nounnon·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

Synonyms for tangible

1. palpable, corporeal. 2. certain, genuine, perceptible. 3. specific.

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

British Dictionary definitions for non-tangible

tangible

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 Formstangibility 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

Word Origin and History for non-tangible

tangible

adj.

1580s, "capable of being touched," from Middle French tangible, from Late Latin tangibilis "that may be touched," from Latin tangere "to touch" (see tangent). Sense of "material" (e.g. tangible reward) is first recorded 1610s; that of "able to be realized or dealt with" is from 1709.