Handclasps

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Two hands clasping together in a gesture of greeting or agreement
2. A physical manifestation of connection or camaraderie between individuals
3. An act of joining hands, often symbolizing unity or shared purpose

Etymology: "Handclasps" is simply the plural of "handclasp," meaning a grasping of two hands together. The noun is a compound of "hand" and "clasp." "Hand" comes from Old English "hand," a word shared across the Germanic languages, while "clasp" is the older noun for a fastening that holds things together, such as a buckle or hook, which later came to describe a firm grip. Pairing the two produced a word for the specific act of two people's hands closing around each other.

Synonyms: handshakes, grips, grasps