I. ˈkän-ˌtakt noun
Etymology: French or Latin; French, from Latin contactus, from contingere to have contact with — more at contingent
Date: 1626
1.
a. : union or junction of surfaces
b. : the apparent touching or mutual tangency of the limbs of two celestial bodies or of the disk of one body with the shadow of another during an eclipse, transit, or occultation
c.
(1) : the junction of two electrical conductors through which a current passes
(2) : a special part made for such a junction
2.
a. : association , relationship
b. : connection , communication
c. : an establishing of communication with someone or an observing or receiving of a significant signal from a person or object
radar contact with Mars
3. : a person serving as a go-between, messenger, connection, or source of special information
business contact s
4. : contact lens
II. ˈkän-ˌtakt, kən-ˈ verb
Date: 1834
intransitive verb
: to make contact
transitive verb
1. : to bring into contact
2.
a. : to enter or be in contact with : join
b. : to get in communication with
contact your local dealer
Usage:
The use of contact as a verb, especially in sense 2b, is accepted as standard by almost all commentators except those who write college handbooks.
III. ˈkän-ˌtakt adjective
Date: 1859
: maintaining, involving, or activated or caused by contact
contact poisons
contact sports
contact dermatitis