What does caress mean?
To caress is to touch someone or something with slow, gentle strokes that convey affection or tenderness. The word applies most often to physical contact between people — a hand drawn along a cheek, fingers through hair — but it also extends naturally to animals, fabrics, and even natural forces: writers speak of wind caressing the skin or sunlight caressing a landscape. As a noun, a caress is such a gentle touch itself. Because the word carries warmth and intimacy at its core, it appears frequently in romantic, poetic, and descriptive prose, and it is rarely used in neutral or clinical contexts. Derived from the French caresser, ultimately tracing back to Latin carus, meaning "dear" or "beloved," it shares its root with words like charity and cherish. For learners of English, caress is a useful addition for expressing tenderness precisely, offering a softer register than plain verbs like touch or rub.
To touch or stroke someone or something gently and affectionately.
"She leaned down to caress the sleeping child's forehead."
Often used figuratively of wind, light, or water moving gently over a surface.
A gentle, loving touch or stroke.
"A single caress from his mother calmed the frightened boy."
The plural is regular. It is relatively uncommon compared to the singular, typically appearing in literary or romantic prose describing repeated gestures of tenderness.
"The poem is filled with soft caresses and whispered promises."
One letter separates a tender touch from a curse — 'caress' and 'curse' come from entirely different roots, yet English speakers mix them up constantly.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of caress
The English word caress was borrowed from French caresser in the early 17th century. The French term derives from Latin carus, meaning "dear," "beloved," or "precious." This same Latin root gave rise to other English words including cherish (via Old French cherir) and charity (via Latin caritas), all preserving the sense of something held dear. The word has retained its core meaning of tender, affectionate touch since entering English.
Related word forms
How caress is actually used
The verb is common in both literal physical contexts (touching a person or animal) and figurative/poetic ones (wind caressing one's face). The noun form is somewhat less frequent than the verb. The word carries an inherently tender, affectionate connotation and is rarely used neutrally.
Easily confused with caress
"Caress" means a gentle loving touch, while "curses" refers to spoken wishes of harm — they differ by only one letter but mean nearly opposite things.