Tending to caress; gentle, soothing, and affectionate in manner or touch.
From 'caress' plus the suffix '-ive' (having the quality of). This creates an adjective meaning 'having the quality of caressing,' similar to how 'creative' comes from 'create'.
English has both 'caressive' and 'caressing' for similar meanings, but 'caressive' sounds more formal and poetic, while 'caressing' feels more active—this split between '-ive' and '-ing' adjectives is a subtle part of English style.
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