Third person singular or plural noun: gentle touches or strokes showing affection, love, or tenderness.
From Old French 'caresse,' derived from Italian 'carezza,' possibly from Latin 'carus' (dear/precious). The word has always carried connotations of affection and gentle touch since medieval times.
The word 'caress' is almost onomatopoetic—when you say it slowly, your mouth performs a gentle motion similar to the action itself! In poetry, caressing is often used metaphorically for how gentle forces (wind, light) touch something.
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