touch
/tʌtʃ/
verb
Origin
Old French
tuchier — to strike, hit, or push
Overview
Meaning Now
- To come into or be in contact with an object with a part of the body.
- To affect or move someone emotionally.
- To mention briefly or deal with a subject in writing or speech.
Literal older meaning
to strike, hit, or push
Language path
Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
tuchier
Earliest period
12th century
Journey
The word entered English following the Norman Conquest, eventually replacing the Old English word 'hrepian'. Its evolution from a violent 'striking' sense to a gentle 'contact' sense demonstrates a significant softening of meaning over time.
Evolution
- Frankish
*tukkōn
“to strike, push”
Reconstructed Germanic base.
- Old French (12th c.)
tuchier
“to hit, strike, or touch”
- Middle English (13th c.)
touchen
“to make physical contact”
- Modern English
touch
“contact, emotional impact, or light interaction”
Connections
Word parts
touch
root
to make contact
Related across languages
French
toucher
to touch
Italian
toccara
to touch
Spanish
tocar
to touch or to play an instrument
Explore next
Related to touch
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.