caress

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*keh₂-
2. Latin · derived fromcārus“dear”
3. Italian · derived fromcarezza“dear”
4. French · borrowed fromcaresse
5. English todaycaress

From French caresse, from Italian carezza (“dear”), from Latin cārus (“dear”), from Proto-Indo-European *keh₂-, akin to Sanskrit काम (kāma, “love”). Doublet of karezza.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 1640s An act of endearment; any act or expression of affection; an embracing, or touching, with tenderness.