tactile

[tak-til, -tahyl]

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, endowed with, or affecting the sense of touch.

2. perceptible to the touch; tangible.

tactile

/ ˈtæktaɪl, tækˈtɪlɪtɪ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, affecting, or having a sense of touch

   a tactile organ

   tactile stimuli

2. rare,  capable of being touched; tangible

tactile

1. Used for or sensitive to touch.

Other Word Forms

• tactility noun
• nontactile adjective
• nontactility noun
• untactile adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tactile¹

1605–15; < Latin tāctilis tangible, equivalent to tāct ( us ) (past participle of tangere to touch) + -ilis -ile

Word History and Origins

Origin of tactile¹

C17: from Latin tactilis, from tangere to touch

Example Sentences

Whatever subject she’s writing about, Ms. Case tends to return to the sensual and tactile—she has a finely tuned ear for physical details that convey deeper meaning.

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An array of emphatically tactile vehicle-control switches and buttons live in the center console—including a fingerprint reader, allowing the car to identify the driver and reset the preferences.

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“It’s so tactile and real. No matter how good robots get at a theme park, they’ll never replace the interaction you have with an actor.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

This tactile awareness means I don’t think of percussion as just rhythm or attack.

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When Anni Albers published her theoretical magnum opus “On Weaving” in 1965, she was already lamenting the loss of our tactile sensibilities, which have undeniably worsened in the digital era.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• palpable