Definition and pronunciation
kiss
Verb — to touch with the lips as a sign of affection, greeting, respect, or desire; also to brush lightly (waves kissed the shore).
Noun — the act of touching with the lips.
Pronounced /kɪs/.
Easy explanation
A kiss is when your lips touch someone or something. It can be friendly (a cheek kiss), loving (a romantic kiss), respectful (kissing a hand), or even just a light touch (sunlight kisses the hill). Some kisses are sexual, but many are not.
Part of speech and grammar
- Verb forms: kiss – kissed – kissed; kissing.
- Transitive/intransitive: kiss someone/something; they kissed.
- Objects & body parts: kiss the cheek, forehead, lips, ring, ground.
- Adjectives/derived forms: kissable, kissy (playful), kisser (slang for mouth/face), kiss-proof (lipstick).
- Countability (noun): a kiss, two kisses; a peck; a goodnight kiss.
Register and tone
Neutral for greetings and family affection; tender/romantic in dating; ceremonial in ritual settings; poetic in figurative use. Sexual intensity depends on context and modifiers (e.g., French kiss).
Connection to sexuality
A kiss can be nonsexual (family, friends, greetings) or sexual/romantic (on the lips, prolonged, private). Consent and setting matter. When clarity is needed, specify: a friendly cheek kiss vs a passionate kiss.
Common collocations
- Types: peck, smooch, French kiss, air kiss, butterfly kiss, goodnight kiss, goodbye kiss.
- Verbs: share a kiss, steal a kiss, plant a kiss, blow a kiss, exchange kisses, kiss and make up.
- Adjectives: tender, passionate, quick, awkward, first.
- Phrases: XOXO (hugs and kisses), kiss of life (BrE: CPR), kiss of death (fatal disadvantage).
Idioms and set phrases
- kiss and tell — reveal private romantic/sexual details.
- kiss and make up — reconcile after a dispute.
- kiss of death — something that guarantees failure.
- blow a kiss — send a kiss gesture with the hand.
- air kiss — cheek-to-cheek gesture without lip contact.
- kiss the ring — show deference to authority.
- buss — old-fashioned word for kiss (mainly literary).
Prepositions and nuance (meaning shifts)
- kiss on + body part — location: kiss on the cheek/forehead/lips.
- kiss with + thing/quality — instrument/means: kiss with lipstick, kiss with tenderness.
- kiss up to + person — idiom, not literal: flatter sycophantically.
- kiss off + person/thing — dismiss, tell to go away; also “That’s a kiss-off line.”
- kiss away + tears/pain — soothe or remove figuratively.
- kiss goodbye/to + goal — accept loss: kiss the bonus goodbye.
- be kissed by + luck/sunlight — touched beneficially.
Word comparisons
- peck — very quick/light kiss.
- smooch — informal, longer kiss; playful.
- make out — prolonged kissing, often more than kissing.
- French kiss — open-mouth/deep kiss.
- hug/embrace — body contact without lip focus.
- osculate — technical/rare term for kiss (used humorously or in science contexts).
Real-life examples
- Grandparents often greet children with a cheek kiss.
- The couple shared a quick kiss before the train left.
- Campaigners called the endorsement “the kiss of death.”
- He blew a kiss to the crowd.
- Tabloids accused the actor of “kiss and tell” after the interview.
Sample sentences
- They kissed under the umbrella at midnight.
- Please don’t kiss the baby if you’re sick.
- Her note ended with “XOXO”—hugs and kisses.
- After the argument they decided to kiss and make up.
- If the sponsor pulls out, we can kiss the tour goodbye.
- Stop kissing up to the boss and show the data.
Synonyms
peck, smooch, buss, embrace (overlap), make out, osculate, brush, graze, blow a kiss, greet with a kiss
Antonyms
snub, ignore, avoid, reject, turn away, push back, withhold affection
Related terms
make out, French kiss, peck, smooch, air kiss, butterfly kiss, kiss and tell, kiss and make up, kiss up, kiss off, kiss of death, kiss of life, XOXO, PDA, consent, affection
Notes and etiquette
- In cross-cultural settings, don’t assume kisses are appropriate; some cultures prefer bows or handshakes.
- Ask or read cues before romantic or intimate kissing.
- “Air kiss” is common in fashion/entertainment circles; it’s performative, not intimate.
- Terms like “Eskimo kiss” are better replaced with nose rub to avoid stereotyping.
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