The first thing we are going to do before entering fully into the meaning of the term caress is its etymological origin. In this case, we can state that it is a word that comes from Italian, exactly from “carezza” which is the result of the sum of two clearly delimited components:
-The adjective “caro”, which is equivalent to “dear”.
-The suffix “-ezza”, which is used to indicate “quality”.
The concept refers to a demonstration of affection that is carried out by rubbing the body of another human being or animal with the hand .
Caresses can consist of rubbing the hand on the face, arm or back, to name a few possibilities. This expression of affection can be linked to a kiss or a hug , although it can have multiple connotations.
For example: “When I was a child and I got sad, the only thing that consoled me was my grandmother's caresses,” “I don't want your caresses right now: I'm furious,” “My dog loves caresses.”
It can be said that a caress is an emotional manifestation . When a person caresses another, they are conveying that they are taken into account or that they care. That is why caressing is an action that is carried out by one subject but that has its most important effect on another.
Depending on how they develop, caresses can be very different. A mother can caress her child on the cheek to stop him from crying, while a teacher can pat a student on the head to congratulate him on his good academic performance. There are also, among adults, sexual or intimate caresses : acts that are carried out to obtain and/or promote sexual pleasure, without penetration.
It must be established that caresses are considered to have enormous power in order to ensure that the people who give them and who receive them improve their mood. So much so that there are curious facts about it, like these:
-It is considered that those who do not receive caresses during their early childhood become adults with a negative reaction to them. Specifically, it has been established that their brains will resent this circumstance and will have problems knowing how to manage it when it is given to them.
-Caresses are so important that this is perceived, especially in the cases of newborns who have to remain admitted to the hospital due to some health circumstance. In these situations, it is considered that skin-to-skin contact with their parents and their caresses will greatly help them recover and overcome adversity.
Caresses, finally, can be symbolic and consist of praise , flattery and expressions of love or recognition: “This award is a caress for me,” “The priest's words were a caress to the soul,” “The extension of the contract was a caress for the experienced player.”
In the same way, it should be noted that “Caricias” is the title of an album by the now deceased singer Rocío Dúrcal, which was published in 2000.