1640, "incapable of being touched," from Fr. intangible (1508), from M.L. intangibilis, from in- "not" + L.L. tangibilis "that may be touched," from L. tangere "to touch" (see
tangent). Fig. sense of "that cannot be grasped by the mind" is from 1880. Noun meaning "anything intangible" is from 1914.