contact
Contact (noun) means physical touching, or close communication between people. Example: “Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick.”
How to Use Contact
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTouching, communicating with, or a person you can reach out to.
Word Forms
contacted past tense, contacts plural, contacts singular
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
Avoid close _____ with anyone who is sick.
Etymology
From Latin contactus, "a touching," from contingere, "to touch on all sides."
Related Words
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “contact” mean?
The word “contact” means physical touching, or close communication between people. In plain terms, touching, communicating with, or a person you can reach out to.
How do you pronounce “contact”?
“Contact” is pronounced KON-takt (/ˈkɑntækt/ in IPA).
How do you use “contact” in a sentence?
Here is “contact” used in a sentence: “Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick.”
What part of speech is “contact”?
Depending on how it is used, “contact” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “contact” come from?
The word “contact” comes from Latin. From Latin contactus, "a touching," from contingere, "to touch on all sides.".
Is “contact” a common word?
“Contact” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “contact” have?
“Contact” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: physical touching, or close communication between people.
What is the difference between contact and communication?
Contact is the broader idea of being in touch or connected with someone, including physical touch. Communication is more specific: the actual exchange of information, thoughts, or messages. You can be in contact with someone without communicating much, but any real communication means you are in contact. One is connection; the other is exchange.
What are the types of contact?
Contact broadly falls into two kinds. Physical contact means actual touch between people or objects, such as a handshake. Social or communicative contact means keeping in touch through conversation, calls, or messages. There is also eye contact — meeting someone's gaze — and, in sport, contact where players physically collide.
What is an example of contact in a sentence?
You might say, 'I've lost contact with my old school friends,' meaning you no longer keep in touch. Other examples include 'avoid contact with the wet paint' or 'please leave your contact details.' In each, contact refers either to physical touch or to communication and connection between people.