eye-contact
UK[ˈaɪ ˌkɒn.tækt]US[ˈaɪ ˌkɑːn.tækt]
n
The act of looking directly into another person's eyes, especially as a way of communicating or showing interest.
Morpheme Breakdown
eye
contact
eye
organ of sight
contact
act of touching or meeting
Etymology
The word is a modern English compound formed from two distinct roots. 'Eye' descends from the Proto-Germanic 'augon-', which has cognates across many Indo-European languages, all relating to the organ of vision. 'Contact' entered English via French from Latin 'contactus', a noun derived from the verb 'contingere' (to touch). The compound 'eye-contact' literally means "a meeting or touching of eyes," a concept that developed its specific social and communicative meaning in the 20th century. It describes a non-physical but psychologically significant form of connection, where the metaphorical "touch" is achieved through mutual gaze.
Analysis
Structure: eye (organ of sight) + contact (act of touching or meeting)
- eye: From Old English 'ēage', meaning "organ of sight". It functions as a noun in this compound, specifying the body part involved.
- contact: From Latin 'contactus', from 'contingere' meaning "to touch, meet". It functions as a noun in this compound, indicating the act of meeting or touching.
Examples
Maintaining good eye-contact is important during a job interview.
The shy child avoided eye-contact with the stranger.
The speaker made eye-contact with audience members to engage them.