Spanish word

acariciar

Pronunciation

IPA/akaɾiˈθjaɾ/

Meaning

  • verbstroke

Example

Ella acaricia al gato todas las mañanas.

She strokes the cat every morning.

Illustration for acariciar (stroke)

More examples

Antes de acostarse, la madre acaricia al bebé.

Before going to bed, the mother strokes the baby.

Core concept

Gentle hand stroking a pet's fur.

Common phrases

  • acariciar al gato

    stroke the cat

  • acariciar la frente

    stroke the forehead

  • acariciar al bebé

    stroke the baby

Similar words

tocar: Touching something or someone with the hand or an object to feel, check, or make contact.
besar: Pressing the lips against another person to express affection or as a greeting.
rozar: Lightly brushing against something or someone so that contact is brief and slight.
frotar: Rubbing a surface repeatedly with force or pressure to move, clean, or warm it.

Definition in Spanish

Pasar la mano suavemente sobre alguien o un animal para dar afecto o consuelo.

Word origin

From the noun caricia, derived from Latin carus 'dear', the verb means to give a loving gentle touch.

Usage tips

  • Use acariciar when the touch expresses affection or comfort rather than a neutral touch: use tocar for neutral contact, and it commonly collocates with pets, hair, and comforting people.

Other meanings

  • caressverb
  • rubverb

Opposites

Related words

  • acariciadocaressedadjective

Word lists with this word