Touching or reaching toward something; in contact or nearly in contact with another thing.
From Latin attingere meaning 'to touch or reach,' formed from ad- (to) + tangere (to touch). The word evolved in medieval Latin and entered English in scholarly contexts to describe physical proximity or connection.
This word is so rare that most dictionaries don't include it, yet it perfectly describes a concept we use constantly—two things that are just barely touching. It shows how English has scientific vocabulary hidden in its depths, waiting to describe precise ideas.
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