English
caress
Caress comes from Italian carezza ‘dear’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *keh₂- ‘to desire’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*keh₂-‘to desire’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kéh₂rosreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kārosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcārus‘dear’
- Italianc. 1300–presentcarezza‘dear’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentcaresse
- Englishearliest quotation 1849–1861caress
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*keh₂-‘to desire’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kéh₂rosreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kārosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcārus‘dear’
- Italianc. 1300–presentcarezza‘dear’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentcaresse
- Englishearliest quotation 1849–1861caress
Earliest quotation: 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, London: Longman: “He exerted himself to win by indulgence and caresses…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *keh₂- ‘to desire’
cherish, kama, whorehouse, 4 more
through Proto-Indo-European *kéh₂ros
through Latin cārus ‘dear’
Today it means
noun An act of endearment; any act or expression of affection; an embracing, or touching, with tenderness.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *keh₂- / caress