Intact is One Word

Intact is One Word Intact is One Word Intact is One Word By Maeve Maddox Ive seen too many examples of intact written as two words to go on assuming that they are typographical errors. Photo caption: A couch that was left in tact after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Question on medical forum: Is chest muscle left in tact after MastX? Question on aviation site: Why are there only 2 Stukas left in tact today? The adjective intact is written as one word. It means whole, entire, not affected by anything that injures. Ex. An animal that has not been spayed or neutered is said to be intact. The literal meaning of intact is untouched. The in prefix means not. The tact comes from a verb meaning to touch. The noun tact has the same origin. An obsolete use is sense of touch. Now the words main use is figurative: tact ready and delicate sense of what is fitting and proper in dealing with others, so as to avoid giving offence, or win good will; skill or judgement in dealing with men or negotiating difficult or delicate situations; the faculty of saying or doing the right thing at the right time. (OED) As for intact, lets keep it, well, intact. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:16 Substitutes for â€Å"Because† or â€Å"Because Of†One Fell Swoop10 Tips About How to Write a Caption