contact

A2 Topic:People & Society

US /ˈkɑntækt/ UK /ˈkɒntækt/ See IPA manual

Freq #1017

Meanings

1

noun
Communication with someone, often regularly.

They kept in daily contact while she was abroad.
2

noun
The state of two things touching each other physically.

Their fingers came into contact with the light switch.
3

noun
A person you know who can help you, especially in business.

They used their business contacts to get an introduction to the governor.
4

noun
A thin lens worn on the eye to correct vision.

I need to buy new contacts before my trip.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · communication with someone,... communication touch

2 noun · the state of two things... physical contacttouch

4 noun · a thin lens worn on the eye... contact lens

Word family

Forms contactedcontactingcontacts

Derived forms anticontactcontact-freecontact-tracecontact-tracingcontactablecontacteecontactincontactizationcontactlesscontactorcontactualcoontact

Appears in

Phrases (9)

See all

close contact
A relationship or physical situation of being very near to someone

Adjective + noun
contact an agent
to get in touch with an agent for assistance or representation

Verb + noun
lose contact
To stop communicating with someone over time

Verb + noun
make contact
To get in touch with someone for the first time or after a gap

Verb + noun
direct contact
Communication or physical proximity without any intermediary

Adjective + noun
personal contact
A direct, face-to-face or individual relationship rather than a formal or digital one

Adjective + noun

Proverbs (1)

See all

Politics is a contact sport

Simplified etymology

Contact entered English in the early 17th century and ultimately comes from Latin contingere “touch.” That verb was formed from con- “with” and tangere “touch.”

Etymology

From Latin contactus, from contingō (“to touch on all sides”), from tangō (“to touch”). Used in English since the 17th century.

*teh₂g- Proto-Indo-European contactus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

People & Society

External links

# contact

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈkɑntækt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkɒntækt/
**Frequency rank:** 1017

## Meanings
1. Communication with someone, often regularly.
2. The state of two things touching each other physically.
3. A person you know who can help you, especially in business.
4. A thin lens worn on the eye to correct vision.

## Examples
- They kept in daily contact while she was abroad.
- Their fingers came into contact with the light switch.
- They used their business contacts to get an introduction to the governor.
- I need to buy new contacts before my trip.

## Derived Forms
- anticontact
- contact-free
- contact-trace
- contact-tracing
- contactable
- contactee
- contactin
- contactization
- contactless
- contactor
- contactual
- coontact

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *teh₂g-
- Root: contactus

## Etymology
From Latin contactus, from contingō (“to touch on all sides”), from tangō (“to touch”). Used in English since the 17th century.

## AI Etymology
contact is a noun. It is from Latin contactus, from contingō (“to touch on all sides”), from tangō (“to touch”). Used in English since the 17th century. Historical forms in the chain include *teh₂g- (Proto-Indo-European) and contactus (Latin). Current senses include communication with someone, often regularly, the state of two things touching each other physically, and a person you know who can help you, especially in business. Derived forms include anticontact, contact-free, contact-trace, contact-tracing, and contactable.

## Topics
- People & Society

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