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tact

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Tact is the act of using gentle language and behaving in a sensitive manner when dealing with potentially controversial issues.

(noun)

An example of tact is when you gently and politely correct someone's error without embarrassing or angering the person or drawing attention to the error.

See tact in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

Archaic the sense of touch
delicate perception of the right thing to say or do without offending; skill in dealing with people
delicate sensitivity, esp. in aesthetics

Origin: Fr < L tactus, pp. of tangere, to touch < IE base *tag-, to touch, grasp > OE thaccian, to stroke

See tact in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

Acute sensitivity to what is proper and appropriate in dealing with others, including the ability to speak or act without offending.
Archaic The sense of touch.

Origin:

Origin: French

Origin: , from Old French, sense of touch

Origin: , from Latin tāctus

Origin: , from past participle of tangere, to touch; see tag- in Indo-European roots

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