contactless
KON-takt-liss
/ˈkɒntæktləs/
Not involving physical touching between individuals or between a device and payment terminal.
Describes hygiene-conscious delivery practices or wireless radio-frequency payment methods.
The story behind the word. Combines 'contact' (from Latin 'con-' and 'tangere' to touch) with the English suffix '-less'. The term exploded in popularity during the early 2020s health precautions.
Word relationships
- touchless: Touchless often refers to physical hardware like taps or dispensers, whereas contactless covers both wireless digital payments and delivery protocol.
- wireless: Wireless refers broad signal technology, while contactless focuses on short-range physical non-touch interactions.
- tactile: Involving physical touch and direct contact.
- in-person: Involving direct face-to-face physical presence.
Commonly confused with
- contextless: Contextless means lacking surrounding background information, whereas contactless means without physical touching.
Collocations
- contactless delivery
- contactless payment
- contactless card
- contactless option
Example sentences
- "Customers increasingly preferred contactless payments using near-field communication technology." Modern payment tech
- "Choosing contactless delivery means the courier will leave the food at your door and step back." Delivery preference option
Memory hook
NO CONTACT = CONTACTLESS. Nothing touches! Without touch, contactless stays in touch digitally.
When not to use
Do not use to describe emotional detachment or lack of communication between people.
Fun facts
- The world's first contactless payment cards were deployed in South Korea for transit fare systems in 1995.
Explore more words
capacitive, non-invasive, self-checkout, hands-on, tactile, drive-thru
Also appears in
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