tactile

adjective

tac·​tile ˈtak-tᵊl How to pronounce tactile (audio)
-ˌtī(-ə)l
1
: perceptible by touch : tangible
2
: of, relating to, or being the sense of touch
tactilely
ˈtak-tə-lē How to pronounce tactile (audio)
-ˌtī(-ə)l-lē
adverb

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Reach Out and Touch the Meaning of Tactile

Tactile has many relatives in English, from the oft-synonymous tangible to familiar words like intact, tact, tangent, contingent, and even entire. All of these can be traced back to the Latin verb tangere, meaning “to touch.” Tactile was adopted by English speakers in the early 1600s (possibly by way of the French tactile) from the Latin adjective tactilis (“tangible”). In light of tactile having tangere for a touchstone, its dual senses of “perceptible by touch” and “of, relating to, or being the sense of touch” are perfectly sensible. Since the advent of film, television, and, ahem, touchscreens, a new sense also appears to be developing, as tactile is increasingly used to suggest that something visual is particularly evocative or suggestive of a certain texture.

Examples of tactile in a Sentence

He not only had visual difficulties but tactile ones, too—witness his grasping his wife's head and mistaking it for a hat … Oliver Sacks, New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2002
There is a tactile and therefore somatic dimension to stroking the chalk that keeps the artist in constant, responsible and responsive touch with his emerging creation. Jed Perl, New Republic, 17 June 2002
The keyboard has good tactile feedback, and the touch pad is responsive without being too twitchy. Bruce Brown, PC Magazine, 20 Feb. 2001
… nothing prepared me for the tactile reality of the original volumes, leaf after carefully written leaf over which his hand had travelled … Edmund Morris, New Yorker, 16 Jan. 1995
Near midday the heat of the sun bounced up from the bare patches of soil to hit with an almost tactile force. Edward O. Wilson, Smithsonian, October 1984
The thick brushstrokes give the painting a tactile quality.
Recent Examples on the Web Gold’s attention to texture and tactile detail asks audiences to lean in; the play’s early scenes foster an engrossing intimacy later blasted apart by civic controversy. Naveen Kumar, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2024 The colorful toy encourages fine motor skills, tactile exploration, and experimentation. Maya Polton, Parents, 8 Mar. 2024 Well, keyboards with mechanical switches are more responsive and can be changed to provide different tactile feedback, sounds and lighting effects. Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 The tactile feedback and sound from pressing one of the Micro’s keys provides the same kind of forward momentum feeling that mechanical typing enthusiasts pursue. Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 18 Jan. 2024 Found it even more immersive, tactile and emotional than Part One. James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Feb. 2024 Clicky switches are not as common as linear or tactile switches. Henri Robbins, WIRED, 25 Jan. 2024 The latest entry, Tekken 8, brings that same audiovisual and tactile bliss to the 4K era. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2024 With scissor-switch keys, the keyboard is built for tactile responsiveness. Jessica MacDonald, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tactile.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French or Latin; French, from Latin tactilis, from tangere to touch — more at tangent entry 2

First Known Use

1615, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tactile was in 1615

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Dictionary Entries Near tactile

Cite this Entry

“Tactile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tactile. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tactile

adjective
tac·​tile ˈtak-tᵊl How to pronounce tactile (audio)
-ˌtīl
: of, relating to, or used in the sense of touch
Etymology

from French tactile or Latin tactilis, both meaning "capable of being touched or felt," from Latin tangere "to touch" — related to tangent, tangible

Medical Definition

tactile

1 of 2 adjective
tac·​tile ˈtak-tᵊl How to pronounce tactile (audio) -ˌtīl How to pronounce tactile (audio)
1
: of, relating to, mediated by, or affecting the sense of touch
tactile sensations
tactile stimuli
tactile anesthesia
2
: having or being organs or receptors for the sense of touch
tactilely adverb

tactile

2 of 2 noun
: a person whose prevailing mental imagery is tactile rather than visual, auditory, or motor compare audile entry 1, motile entry 2, visualizer
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