retouch

[ verb ree-tuhch; noun ree-tuhch, ree-tuhch ]

verb (used with object)

1. to improve with new touches, highlights, or the like; touch up or rework, as a painting or makeup.
2. Photography. to alter (a negative or positive) after development by adding or removing lines, lightening areas, etc., with a pencil, brush, or knife.
3. to dye, tint, or bleach (a new growth of hair) to match or blend with the color of an earlier and previously dyed growth.

noun

1. an added touch to a picture, painting, paint job, etc., by way of improvement or alteration.
2. an act or instance of dyeing new growth of hair to blend with previously dyed hair.

retouch

/ riːˈtʌtʃ /

verb

1. to restore, correct, or improve (a painting, make-up, etc) with new touches
2. photog to alter (a negative or print) by painting over blemishes or adding details
3. to make small finishing improvements to
4. archaeol to detach small flakes from (a stone) in order to make a tool

noun

1. the art or practice of retouching
2. a detail that is the result of retouching
3. a photograph, painting, etc, that has been retouched
4. archaeol fine percussion to shape flakes of stone into usable tools

Derived Forms

• reˈtoucher, noun
• reˈtouchable, adjective

Other Words From

• re·toucha·ble adjective
• re·toucher noun
• unre·touched adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of retouch¹

1675–85; < Middle French retoucher, equivalent to re- re- + toucher to touch

Example Sentences

Should the coating crack at the knee or elbow joints, it is merely necessary to retouch it slightly at those places.

From Project Gutenberg

Different publications and different retouch artists would handle a photograph differently, and add different retouching to them.

From Project Gutenberg

That one should ever attempt to retouch the time-faded but beautiful pictures that the memory holds.

From Project Gutenberg

Occasional retouch, that appears to have been done by percussion flaking, is evident; but no regular pressure retouch is present.

From Project Gutenberg

This retouch appears to have been accomplished with indirect percussion or pressure flaking.

From Project Gutenberg