different between tactile vs handsy

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French tactile, from Latin tactilis (“that may be touched, tangible”), from tangere (“to touch”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?tækta?l/, /?tækt?l/

Adjective

tactile (comparative more tactile, superlative most tactile)

1. Tangible; perceptible to the sense of touch.
2. Used for feeling.
3. Of or relating to the sense of touch.
   • H. N. Martin

     The delicacy of the tactile sense varies on different parts of the skin; it is greatest on the forehead, temples and back of the forearm.

Related terms

Translations

See also

• haptic
• palpable
• touchable

Further reading

• tactile in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• tactile in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• tactile at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• lattice, talcite

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin t?ctilis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /tak.til/

Adjective

tactile (plural tactiles)

1. tactile
2. haptic

Derived terms

• écran tactile
• tactilement

Further reading

• “tactile” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Latin

Adjective

t?ctile

1. nominative neuter singular of t?ctilis
2. accusative neuter singular of t?ctilis
3. vocative neuter singular of t?ctilis

English

Etymology

hands +? -y

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?hændzi/

Adjective

handsy (comparative handsier, superlative handsiest)

1. (informal) Prone to touching other people with one's hands, especially inappropriately.
   • 2008, Lisa Plumley, Home for the Holidays, Zebra Books (2008), ?ISBN, page 96:

     "Listen up." Nate nodded at Angela's root beer. "That's what you should drink on your date with Patrick the Prick. So you'll be alert if he gets all handsy with you."

     "He won't get handsy. We're just having coffee.

   • 2008, Phoebe Reilly, "Thick As Thieves", Spin, September 2008:

     A more pressing struggle is the one Crystal Castles have to contend with each night: feral fanboys who use Glass' aggressiveness as an excuse to get handsy. "They usually get a mic stand to the head," says Glass, with a shrug [...]

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:handsy.
2. (golf) Moving the hands and wrists excessively when making a stroke or swing.
   • 1991, Jaime Diaz, "Pavin Is Making a Strong Bid to Join Game's Elite", The New York Times, 26 May 1991:

     At a wiry 5 feet 9 inches and 140 pounds, with a handsy, almost ungainly swing, Pavin lacked the power and solid technique that have been the foundation of success for most of the game's elite players.

Synonyms

• (prone to touching others): groping, tactile, touchy-feely

Translations

Anagrams

• shandy