Definition of "tact" in English

noun

1. Sensitive mental touch; special skill or faculty; keen perception or discernment; ready power of appreciating and doing what is required by circumstances; the ability to say the right thing.

   • By the use of tact, she was able to calm her jealous husband.
   • I used tact when I told my fat uncle that his extra weight made him look better.

2. Propriety; manners (etiquette).

noun

1. The sense of touch; feeling.

2. (music) The stroke in beating time.

3. (psychology) A verbal operant which is controlled by a nonverbal stimulus (such as an object, event, or property of an object) and is maintained by nonspecific social reinforcement (praise).

verb

1. (psychology) To use a tact (a kind of verbal operant).

noun

1. (slang) Clipping of tactic.