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acariciar

to caress

verb ah-kah-ree-SYAHR Rare
Body & Health Senses

Also means

to stroke

Usage Note

Acariciar is a regular -iar verb. It is used both literally (acariciar al perro — 'to stroke the dog') and figuratively (acariciar una idea — 'to toy with an idea'). The related noun is caricia ('a caress/stroke'). The figurative use is fairly common in literary and journalistic writing to indicate gently entertaining a thought without yet committing to it.

Examples

"Ella acarició el pelo del niño con ternura."

Natural Translation

She stroked the child's hair tenderly.

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