caress

¹ca·ress

transitive verb \kə-ˈres\

Definition of CARESS

1

: to treat with tokens of fondness, affection, or kindness : cherish

2

a : to touch or stroke lightly in a loving or endearing manner

b : to touch or affect as if with a caress <echoes that caress the ear>

— ca·ress·er noun

— ca·ress·ing·ly \kə-ˈre-siŋ-lē\ adverb

Examples of CARESS

1. She caressed the baby's cheek.
2. A warm breeze caressed her face.

Origin of CARESS

French caresser, from Italian carezzare, from carezza

First Known Use: 1598

Related to CARESS

Synonyms

fondle, gentle, love, pat, pet, stroke

Related Words

bill, canoodle, cuddle, neck, nestle, nose, nuzzle, snuggle, spoon; feel up, paw; cradle, embrace, enfold, hug; bounce, dandle; knead, massage; baby, coddle, indulge, mollycoddle, pamper, spoil

Rhymes with CARESS

abscess, access, address, aggress, assess, bench-press, clothespress, coatdress, cold-press, compress, confess, cross-dress, CS, depress, de-stress, digress, distress, drill press, egress, excess, express, finesse, fluoresce, French press, full-dress, handpress, headdress, housedress, idlesse, impress, ingress, Meknes, much less, nightdress, noblesse, no less, obsess, oppress, outguess, possess, precess, prestress, princess, process, profess, progress, recess, redress, regress, re-press, repress, shirtdress, side-dress, SS, success, sundress, suppress, tendresse, top-dress, transgress, undress, unless, web press, winepress, word stress

²caress

noun

Definition of CARESS

1

: an act or expression of kindness or affection : endearment

2

a : a light stroking, rubbing, or patting

b : kiss

— ca·res·sive \-ˈre-siv\ adjective

— ca·res·sive·ly adverb

Examples of CARESS

1. She gave the baby's cheek a gentle caress.

Origin of CARESS

French caresse, from Italian carezza, from caro dear, from Latin carus — more at charity

First Known Use: 1609