caresse

caress

noun kah-RESS Rare

Also means

stroke

Usage Note

Caresse denotes a gentle, tender touch — used for human affection and also for petting animals. The verb is caresser (caresser un chat = to stroke a cat). Caresse can be used metaphorically for something that gently touches the senses, such as la caresse du vent (the caress of the wind).

Examples

"Elle lui fit une douce caresse sur la joue."

Natural Translation

She gave him a gentle caress on the cheek.

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