the act or state of touching; a touching or meeting, as of two things or people.
immediate proximity or association.
an acquaintance, colleague, or relative through whom a person can gain access to information, favors, influential people, and the like.
Electricity. a junction of electric conductors, usually metal, that controls current flow, often completing or interrupting a circuit.
Geology. the interface, generally a planar surface, between strata that differ in lithology or age.
Medicine/Medical. a person who has lately been exposed to an infected person.
Sociology. a condition in which two or more individuals or groups are placed in communication with each other.Compare categoric contact, primary contact, secondary contact, sympathetic contact.
contact lens.
verb (used with object)
to put or bring into contact.
to communicate with: We'll contact you by mail or telephone.
verb (used without object)
to enter into or be in contact.
adjective
involving or produced by touching or proximity: contact allergy.
Origin of contact
1620–30; <Latin contāctus a touching, equivalent to contāc-<*contag-, variant stem of contingere to touch (con-con- + -tingere, combining form of tangere to touch) + -tus suffix of v. action; cf. tango, attain
usage note for contact
Many verbs in English have derived from nouns. One can head an organization or toe the mark; butter the bread or bread the cutlet. Hence, grammatically at least, there is no historical justification for the once frequently heard criticism of contact used as a verb meaning “to communicate with”: The managing editor contacted each reporter personally. Despite the earlier objections to it and probably largely because there is no other one-word verb in the language to express the same idea, this use of contact has become standard in all types of speech and writing. Contact as a noun meaning “a person through whom one can gain access to information and the like” is also standard: My contact at the embassy says that the coup has been successful.
Vox contacted Fischer’s office about why and when the system was deactivated but has not received a response.
The policing reforms in the Breonna Taylor settlement, explained|Fabiola Cineas|September 17, 2020|Vox
Know when your state begins mailing ballots, track your ballot and contact your local election office if you haven’t received yours.
ProPublica’s Pandemic Guide to Making Sure Your Vote Counts|by Susie Armitage|September 16, 2020|ProPublica
The last major Venus orbiter was ESA’s Venus Express, which studied Venus for eight years until engineers lost contact with it, likely because it ran out of fuel.
We need to go to Venus as soon as possible|Neel Patel|September 16, 2020|MIT Technology Review
You’ll typically get options to jump straight into your playlists with a music app, or get quick links to your favorite contacts on a messaging app, to name a couple examples.
Get around your phone more quickly than you already are|David Nield|September 16, 2020|Popular Science
It’s not clear whether Quinn is still in contact with state elections officials.
No Democrats Allowed: A Conservative Lawyer Holds Secret Voter Fraud Meetings With State Election Officials|by Mike Spies, Jake Pearson and Jessica Huseman|September 15, 2020|ProPublica
The spokesman also said that Ambassador King “did not view the movie and did not have any contact directly with Sony.”
Exclusive: Sony Emails Say Studio Exec Picked Kim Jong-Un as the Villain of ‘The Interview’|William Boot|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In fact, he was in contact with Lansky prior to converging from the hillside onto the streets of Havana.
Will Hyman Roth Return to Havana With Normalized Relations?|John L. Smith|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She had been my point of contact as I was trying to get up there.
A Whisky Connoisseur Remembers That First Sip of The Macallan||December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Keeping in contact with those people, and mechanically getting them to the trial, those are the hard parts,” Risner said.
Drug Smuggler Sues U.S. Over Dog Bite|Caitlin Dickson|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She said that she came in contact with Cosby while working at the Las Vegas Hilton.
Two New Bill Cosby Accusers Come Forward: ‘We Challenge Mr. Cosby to End This Nightmare’|Marlow Stern|December 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I will now jot hastily down the points of contact between one of these monasteries described by Philo and a Buddhist monastery.
The Influence of Buddhism on Primitive Christianity|Arthur Lillie
The case has been different with the movements induced by contact with Christian forms of belief.
Introduction to the History of Religions|Crawford Howell Toy
Varnish, when at a certain temperature, is susceptible of contraction when any colder body is brought in contact with it.
Practical Carriage and Wagon Painting|Mayton Clarence Hillick
For, in truth, she was unaware; lost to everything but the joy of contact with her son.
Far to Seek|Maud Diver
But he did not condemn them; he simply felt he could not live in contact with them.
Cleo The Magnificent|Louis Zangwill
British Dictionary definitions for contact
contact
noun (ˈkɒntækt)
the act or state of touching physically
the state or fact of close association or communication (esp in the phrases in contact, make contact)
a junction of two or more electrical conductors
the part of the conductors that makes the junction
the part of an electrical device to which such connections are made
an acquaintance, esp one who might be useful in business, as a means of introduction, etc
any person who has been exposed to a contagious disease
photog See contact print
(usually plural) an informal name for contact lens
(modifier)of or relating to irritation or inflammation of the skin caused by touching the causative agentcontact dermatitis
(modifier)denoting an insecticide or herbicide that kills on contact, rather than after ingestion or absorption
(modifier)of or maintaining contact
(modifier)requiring or involving (physical) contactthe contact sport of boxing
verb (ˈkɒntækt, kənˈtækt)
(when intr, often foll by with) to put, come, or be in association, touch, or communication
interjection
aeronautics(formerly) a call made by the pilot to indicate that an aircraft's ignition is switched on and that the engine is ready for starting by swinging the propeller