noun

caress

kuh-REHS

Caress (noun) means a gentle, affectionate touch. Example: “He felt the caress of her hand on his cheek.”

noun

A gentle, affectionate touch.

"He felt the caress of her hand on his cheek."

"The breeze felt like a caress against her skin."

verb

To touch someone gently and affectionately.

"She caressed the baby's soft cheek."

"He gently caressed the cat's fur."

How to use caress

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA soft, loving touch, or the act of touching someone that way.

Common pairings

a gentle caress caress her hair caress someone's face

caressed past tense, caresses plural, caresses singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “caress” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Can you complete this real example?

He felt the _____ of her hand on his cheek.

From French caresse, from Italian carezza ("endearment"), ultimately from Latin cārus ("dear, beloved").

Origin: Latin

fondle

grasp fondle

What does “caress” mean?

The word “caress” means a gentle, affectionate touch. In plain terms, a soft, loving touch, or the act of touching someone that way.

How do you pronounce “caress”?

“Caress” is pronounced kuh-REHS (/kəˈɹɛs/ in IPA).

How do you use “caress” in a sentence?

Here is “caress” used in a sentence: “He felt the caress of her hand on his cheek.”

What part of speech is “caress”?

Depending on how it is used, “caress” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “caress” come from?

The word “caress” comes from Latin. From French caresse, from Italian carezza ("endearment"), ultimately from Latin cārus ("dear, beloved").

How many meanings does “caress” have?

“Caress” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a gentle, affectionate touch.

grasp fondle