Meanings
nouncontact (countable and uncountable, plural contacts)
plural contacts
- countableuncountableThe act of touching physically; being in close association.
She mixed furniture with the same fatal profligacy as she mixed drinks, and this outrageous contact between things which were intended by Nature to be kept poles apart gave her an inexpressible thrill.
1935, George Goodchild, chapter 1, in Death on the Centre Court - countableuncountableThe establishment of communication (with).
I haven't been in contact with her for years.
2 more examples
In the old days, […] he gave no evidences of genius whatsoever. He never read me any of his manuscripts, […], and therefore my lack of detection of his promise may in some degree be pardoned. But he had then none of the oddities and mannerisms which I hold to be inseparable from genius, and which struck my attention in after days when I came in contact with the Celebrity.
1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter I, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLCWhen written information is unavailable and archeological findings are subject to conflicting interpretations, language data frequently provide the only evidence for prehistoric ethnic and cultural contacts.
1989 January 28, Werner Winter, “On a new claim concerning substratum influence upon Tocharian”, in Central Asiatic Journal, volume 33, number 1/2, Harrassowitz Verlag, →ISSN, page 126 - countableuncountableThe situation of being within sight of something; visual contact.
If the pilot […] cannot establish visual contact with the ground, he must immediately execute a missed-approach procedure […]
1983, United States. Congress. House. Committee on Government Operations. Government Activities and Transportation Subcommittee, Hazardous Obstructions at San Francisco Airport, page 126 - countableuncountableA nodule designed to connect a device with something else.
Touch the contact to ground and read the number again.
- countableuncountableSomeone who can be contacted, or with whom one is in communication.
Who is the company's contact for sales queries?
1 more example
The salesperson had a whole binder full of contacts for potential clients.
- broadlycountableuncountableA means of communication with a person, especially in the form of a telephone number.
- countableinformaluncountableA contact lens.
- countableuncountablebusinessA device designed for repetitive connections.
- countableinformaluncountableby ellipsisContact juggling.
I bought myself a new contact ball last week
- countableuncountablebusinessThe plane between two adjacent bodies of dissimilar rock.
verbcontact (third-person singular simple present contacts, present participle contacting, simple past and past participle contacted)
present singular third person contacts · participle present contacting · participle past contacted · past contacted
- transitiveTo touch; to come into physical contact with.
The side of the car contacted the pedestrian.
- transitiveTo establish communication with (something or someone).
I am trying to contact my sister.
Synonyms: reach
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo establish communication with (something or someone).
Similar
More synonyms by meaning
nounthe physical coming together of two or more things
Broader
nouna channel for communication between groups
noun(electronics) a junction where things (as two electrical conductors) touch or are in physical contact
Similar
Broader
nouna thin curved glass or plastic lens designed to fit over the cornea in order to correct vision or to deliver medication
Similar
verbbe in or establish communication with
Similar
Broader
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latincontactus
- Englishcontact
From Latin contactus, from contingō (“to touch on all sides”), from tangō (“to touch”). Used in English since the 17th century.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic مُلَامَسَة, لَمْسَة
- مُلَامَسَة (mulāmasa)an act of touching physically
- لَمْسَة (lamsa)an act of touching physically
- لَمْس (lams)an act of touching physically
- اِتِّصَال (ittiṣāl)an establishment of communication
- عَلَاقَة (ʕalāqa)an establishment of communication
- رَبْط (rabṭ)an establishment of communication
- اِتَّصَلَ (ittaṣala)establish communication with
Bulgarian до́пир, доко́сване
- до́пир (dópir)an act of touching physically
- доко́сване (dokósvane)an act of touching physically
- прикоснове́ние (prikosnovénie)an act of touching physically
- свъ́рзване (svắrzvane)an establishment of communication
- конта́кт (kontákt)an establishment of communication
- конта́ктна ле́ща (kontáktna léšta)colloquial: a contact lens — see also contact lens
- конта́кт (kontákt)electrical: a device designed for repetitive connections
- докосвам (dokosvam)touch physically
- допирам се (dopiram se)touch physically
- свързвам се (svărzvam se)establish communication with
Catalan contacte, contacte
- contactean act of touching physically
- contactean establishment of communication
- contactarestablish communication with
Chinese Mandarin 接觸 /接触, 聯繫 /联系
- 接觸 /接触 (jiēchù)an act of touching physically
- 聯繫 /联系 (liánxì)an establishment of communication
- 交往 (jiāowǎng)an establishment of communication
- 通訊 /通讯 (tōngxùn)an establishment of communication
- 聯絡 /联络 (liánluò)an establishment of communication
- 隱形眼鏡 /隐形眼镜 (yǐnxíngyǎnjìng)colloquial: a contact lens — see also contact lens
- 觸點 /触点 (chùdiǎn)electrical: a device designed for repetitive connections
- 聯繫 /联系 (liánxì)someone with whom one is in communication
- 接觸 /接触 (jiēchù)touch physically
- 聯繫 /联系 (liánxì)establish communication with
Czech kontakt, dotyk
- kontaktan act of touching physically
- dotykan act of touching physically
- dotekan act of touching physically
- kontaktan establishment of communication
- spojenían establishment of communication
- čočkacolloquial: a contact lens — see also contact lens
- kontaktelectrical: a device designed for repetitive connections
- kontaktsomeone with whom one is in communication
- dotýkat setouch physically
- dotknout setouch physically
- kontaktovatestablish communication with
Danish kontakt, forbindelse
- kontaktan act of touching physically
- forbindelsean act of touching physically
- berøringan act of touching physically
- kontakteestablish communication with
Dutch contact, aanraking
- contactan act of touching physically
- aanrakingan act of touching physically
- contactan establishment of communication
- contactsomeone with whom one is in communication
- aanrakentouch physically
- contacterenestablish communication with
Esperanto kontakto, kontakti
- kontaktoan act of touching physically
- kontaktiestablish communication with
Finnish kosketus, kontakti
- kosketusan act of touching physically
- kontaktian act of touching physically
- yhteydenottoan establishment of communication
- kontaktian establishment of communication
- yhteysan establishment of communication
- piilolinssicolloquial: a contact lens — see also contact lens
- liitinelectrical: a device designed for repetitive connections
- kontaktisomeone with whom one is in communication
- yhteyshenkilösomeone with whom one is in communication
- koskeatouch physically
- osuatouch physically
- ottaa yhteyttäestablish communication with
- ottaa yhteysestablish communication with
French contact, toucher
- contactan act of touching physically
- toucheran act of touching physically
- contactan establishment of communication
- lentillecolloquial: a contact lens — see also contact lens
- contactelectrical: a device designed for repetitive connections
- contactsomeone with whom one is in communication
- connaissancesomeone with whom one is in communication
- touchertouch physically
- contacterestablish communication with
German Kontakt, Berührung
- Kontaktan act of touching physically
- Berührungan act of touching physically
- Kontaktan establishment of communication
- Verbindungan establishment of communication
- Kontaktlinsecolloquial: a contact lens — see also contact lens
- berührentouch physically
- kontaktierenestablish communication with
Greek επαφή, επικοινωνία
- επαφή (epafí)an act of touching physically
- επικοινωνία (epikoinonía)an establishment of communication
- σύνδεσμος (sýndesmos)someone with whom one is in communication
- επαφή (epafí)someone with whom one is in communication
Hebrew איש קשר, יצר קשר
- איש קשרsomeone with whom one is in communication
- יצר קשר (yatsár késher)establish communication with
Hindi संपर्क
- संपर्क (sampark)an establishment of communication
Hungarian kapcsolat, érintkezés
- kapcsolatan act of touching physically
- érintkezésan establishment of communication
- kontaktlencsecolloquial: a contact lens — see also contact lens
- kapcsolattartósomeone with whom one is in communication
Icelandic snerting, samband
- snertingan act of touching physically
- sambandan establishment of communication
- tengiliðursomeone with whom one is in communication
- hafa samband viðestablish communication with
Italian contatto, aggancio
- contattoan act of touching physically
- aggancioan act of touching physically
- contattoan establishment of communication
- contattosomeone with whom one is in communication
- contattareestablish communication with
Japanese 接触, 接触
- 接触 (sesshoku)an act of touching physically
- 接触 (sesshoku)an establishment of communication
- 連絡 (renraku)an establishment of communication
- コンタクト (kontakuto)colloquial: a contact lens — see also contact lens
- 接点 (setten)electrical: a device designed for repetitive connections
- 端子 (tanshi)electrical: a device designed for repetitive connections
- 連絡先 (renrakusaki)someone with whom one is in communication
- お問い合わせ (o-toiawase)someone with whom one is in communication
- 接触する (sesshoku suru)touch physically
- 続する (setsuzoku suru)touch physically
- 連絡する (renraku suru)establish communication with
Korean 접촉, 접촉
- 접촉 (jeopchok)an act of touching physically
- 접촉 (jeopchok)an establishment of communication
- 연락 (yeollak)an establishment of communication
- 련락 (ryeollak)an establishment of communication
- 렌즈 (renjeu)colloquial: a contact lens — see also contact lens
- 접촉하다 (jeopchokhada)touch physically
- 연락하다 (yeollak-hada)establish communication with
- 련락하다 (ryeollak-hada)establish communication with
Latin contactus, contāgēs
- contactusan act of touching physically
- contāgēsan act of touching physically
Lithuanian liestis
- liestistouch physically
Māori hoapā, whakapāpā
- hoapāsomeone with whom one is in communication
- whakapāpātouch physically
- pātouch physically
- ūtouch physically
- whakapāestablish communication with
Norwegian kontakte
- kontakteestablish communication with
Norwegian Bokmål berøring
- berøringan act of touching physically
Persian لمس کردن, تماس گرفتن
- لمس کردن (lams kardan)touch physically
- تماس گرفتن (tamâs gereftan)establish communication with
Polish kontakt, dotyk
- kontaktan act of touching physically
- dotykan act of touching physically
- kontaktan establishment of communication
- szkło kontaktowecolloquial: a contact lens — see also contact lens
- kontaktelectrical: a device designed for repetitive connections
- kontaktsomeone with whom one is in communication
- kontaktować sięestablish communication with
- skontaktować sięestablish communication with
Portuguese contato, contacto
- contatoan act of touching physically
- contactoan act of touching physically
- contatoan establishment of communication
- contactoan establishment of communication
- lente de contatocolloquial: a contact lens — see also contact lens
- lente de contactocolloquial: a contact lens — see also contact lens
- contatoelectrical: a device designed for repetitive connections
- contatosomeone with whom one is in communication
- contactosomeone with whom one is in communication
- tocartouch physically
- tangertouch physically
- contactarestablish communication with
- contatarestablish communication with
Romanian contact, atingere
- contactan act of touching physically
- atingerean act of touching physically
- legăturăan establishment of communication
- contactan establishment of communication
- contactelectrical: a device designed for repetitive connections
- a contactaestablish communication with
Russian конта́кт, соприкоснове́ние
- конта́кт (kontákt)an act of touching physically
- соприкоснове́ние (soprikosnovénije)an act of touching physically
- прикоснове́ние (prikosnovénije)an act of touching physically
- конта́кт (kontákt)an establishment of communication
- связь (svjazʹ)an establishment of communication
- конта́ктная ли́нза (kontáktnaja línza)colloquial: a contact lens — see also contact lens
- ли́нза (línza)colloquial: a contact lens — see also contact lens
- конта́кт (kontákt)electrical: a device designed for repetitive connections
- конта́кт (kontákt)someone with whom one is in communication
- связно́й (svjaznój)someone with whom one is in communication
- контакти́ровать (kontaktírovatʹ)establish communication with
- свя́зываться (svjázyvatʹsja)establish communication with
- связа́ться (svjazátʹsja)establish communication with
Slovak dotyk, kontakt
- dotykan act of touching physically
- kontaktan establishment of communication
- spojeniean establishment of communication
Spanish contacto, contactar
- contactoan act of touching physically
- contactarestablish communication with
- entrar en contacto conestablish communication with
Swedish kontakt, beröring
- kontaktan act of touching physically
- beröringan act of touching physically
- kontaktan establishment of communication
- kontaktaestablish communication with
- höra av sigestablish communication with
Tamil தொடல், தொடு
- தொடல் (toṭal)an act of touching physically
- தொடு (toṭu)an act of touching physically
- தொடர்பு (toṭarpu)an establishment of communication
- தொடுவில்லை (toṭuvillai)colloquial: a contact lens — see also contact lens
- காண்டாக்ட் (kāṇṭākṭ)someone with whom one is in communication
- தொடு (toṭu)touch physically
- தொடர்புகொள் (toṭarpukoḷ)establish communication with
Thai แตะต้อง, ติดต่อ
- แตะต้อง (dtɛ̀-dtɔ̂ng)an act of touching physically
- ติดต่อ (dtìt-dtɔ̀ɔ)an establishment of communication
Ukrainian конта́кт, до́тик
- конта́кт (kontákt)an act of touching physically
- до́тик (dótyk)an act of touching physically
- конта́кт (kontákt)an establishment of communication
- зв'язо́к (zvʺjazók)an establishment of communication
Urdu مَساس, لَمْس
- مَساس (masās)an act of touching physically
- لَمْس (lams)an act of touching physically
- تَماس (tamās)an establishment of communication
- رابْطَہ (rābta)an establishment of communication
- رابِطَہ (rābita)an establishment of communication
- اِتِّصال (ittisāl)an establishment of communication
Vietnamese sự chạm, sự tiếp xúc
- sự chạman act of touching physically
- sự tiếp xúcan establishment of communication
- liên lạcestablish communication with
Welsh cyswllt
- cyswlltsomeone with whom one is in communication
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with contact
actfactcontractimpactabstractexactextractpackedinteractbackedattracttractreactintactcrackedpactsubtractenactdistracttransacttactcounteractretractdetract
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
contact. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/contact
MLA
“contact.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/contact. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “contact,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/contact.
Source: contact on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.