tangible (adj.)

1580s, "capable of being touched," from Middle French tangible and directly from Late Latin tangibilis "that may be touched," from Latin tangere "to touch," from PIE root *tag- "to touch, handle." Sense of "material" (as in tangible reward) is first recorded 1610s; that of "able to be realized or dealt with" is from 1709. Related: Tangibly.