retouch

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to improve or alter an image, artwork, or other object by making small corrections to its details

   The editor asked the photographer to retouch the portrait without changing its natural expression.

2. 2
   verb

   to restore the color at the roots of previously dyed hair

   She returned to the salon to retouch her dark roots.

3. 3
   noun

   a small corrective alteration or restoration

   The old photograph needed one final retouch before publication.

Borrowed from French retoucher, formed from re- ('again') + toucher ('to touch'). The literal idea of touching again developed into making small corrective strokes in art and photography, then into other detail work such as restoring dyed hair at the roots.

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