Caress
/kəˈrɛs/noun
To touch or stroke gently and affectionately.
Did you know?English *caress* comes through French from Latin *carus*, meaning “dear” or “beloved,” so its oldest root is about preciousness, not seduction or magic.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*keh₂ro-
“dear, beloved”
Latin
Latin
carus
“dear, costly, beloved”
Late Latin
Latin
caritiāre
“to hold dear, cherish”
Old French
Old French
caresser
“to caress, fondle”
16th Century
English
caress
“to touch or stroke gently and affectionately”