kiss
English
Pronunciation
- enPR: kĭs, IPA(key): /kɪs/, [kʰɪs]
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ɪs
Etymology 1
From Middle English kissen, kussen, from Old English cyssan (“to kiss”), from Proto-West Germanic *kussijan, from Proto-Germanic *kussijaną (“to kiss”).
Cognates include Saterland Frisian küsje, Dutch kussen, German Low German küssen, German küssen, Danish kysse, Swedish kyssa, Norwegian kysse, Icelandic kyssa. Compare Proto-Indo-European *ku-, *kus- (probably imitative), with byspels including Ancient Greek κύσσω (kússō), poetic form of κύσω (kúsō, “to kiss”), and Hittite [script needed] (kuwassanzi, “they kiss”).
Verb
kiss (third-person singular simple present kisses, present participle kissing, simple past and past participle kissed)
- (transitive) To touch with the lips or press the lips against, usually to show love or affection or passion, or as part of a greeting.
- c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
- He […] kissed her lips with such a clamorous smack, / That at the parting all the church echoed.
- 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
- I'll kiss thy foot. I'll swear myself thy subject.
- 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:
- But then I had the [massive] flintlock by me for protection. […] The linen-press and a chest on the top of it formed, however, a very good gun-carriage; and, thus mounted, aim could be taken out of the window […], and a 'bead' could be drawn upon Molly, the dairymaid, kissing the fogger behind the hedge, little dreaming that the deadly tube was levelled at them.
- 2008 April 28, Katy Perry, Dr. Luke, Max Martin, Cathy Dennis, “I Kissed a Girl”, in One of the Boys, performed by Katy Perry:
- I kissed a girl and I liked it / The taste of her cherry chapstick / I kissed a girl just to try it / I hope my boyfriend don't mind it
- (transitive, intransitive) To (cause to) touch lightly or slightly; to come into contact.
- The nearside of the car just kissed a parked truck as he took the corner at high speed.
- His ball kissed the black into the corner pocket.
- c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene vi]:
- Like fire and powder, / Which as they kiss consume.
- 1867–1870 (date written), Alfred Tennyson, Arthur Sullivan, composer, “No. II. At the Window.”, in The Window: Or, The Songs of the Wrens […], London: Strahan & Co., […], published 1871, →OCLC:
- Rose, rose and clematis, / Trail and twine and clasp and kiss, / Kiss, kiss; and make her a bower / All of flowers, and drop me a flower, / Drop me a flower.
- 1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:
- Night hath fled away into the valleys. The dawn kisseth the mountain tops.
- (reciprocal) Of two or more people, to touch each other's lips together, usually to express love or affection or passion.
- 1990, Norell Oson Bard (lyrics and music), “Kissing in the Moonlight”performed by The Boppers:
- We're kissing in the moonlight / Love was shining so bright and true
- (transitive, archaic) To treat with fondness.
Synonyms
- See also Thesaurus:kiss
Derived terms
- bekiss
- catch and kiss
- devil is kissing his wife
- do you kiss your mother with that mouth
- I'd like to kiss you
- Jack-jump-up-and-kiss-me
- kissable
- kiss and cry
- kiss and make up
- kiss and ride
- kiss and tell
- kiss arse
- kiss chasey
- kisser
- kiss goodbye
- kiss-her-in-the-buttery
- kissing
- kissle
- kiss me
- kiss-me-at-the-gate
- kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate
- kiss-me-quick
- kiss my ass/kiss my arse
- kiss my balls
- kiss 'n' ride
- kiss one's ass goodbye
- kiss one's teeth
- kissper
- kiss someone's arse
- kiss someone's ass
- kiss someone's hem
- kiss someone's ring
- kiss the book
- kiss the dust
- kiss the ground someone walks on
- kiss the gunner's daughter
- kiss the hem of someone's garment
- kiss the rod
- kiss up
- kiss up to
- kissy
- simple as kiss your hand
- you kiss your girlfriend with that mouth
- you kiss your grandmother with that mouth
- you kiss your mother with that mouth
Translations
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Etymology 2
From Middle English kis, kys, kus, forms of cos influenced by kissen, from Old English coss, from Proto-West Germanic *koss, from Proto-Germanic *kussaz.
Noun
kiss (plural kisses)
- A touch with the lips, usually to express love or affection, or as a greeting.
- An 'X' mark placed at the end of a letter or other type of message, signifying the bestowal of a kiss from the sender to the receiver.
- 1966, Brian W. Aldiss, The Saliva Tree, published 1968, page 67:
- With some satisfaction, Gergory read this through twice, signed it and added kisses[.]
- A type of filled chocolate candy, shaped as if someone had kissed the top. See Hershey's Kisses.
- (astronomy) The alignment of two bodies in the solar system such that they have the same longitude when seen from Earth; conjunction.
- (aviation) A low-speed mid-air collision between the envelopes of two hot air balloons, generally causing no damage or injury.
Synonyms
- (touch with the lips): See Thesaurus:buss
Derived terms
- air kiss
- angel's kiss
- ass kissing, ass-kissing
- blow a kiss
- butterfly kiss
- chef's kiss
- cloacal kiss
- cold as a witch's kiss
- double kiss
- Eskimo kiss
- flying kiss
- foot kiss
- freedom kiss
- French kiss
- Glasgow kiss
- good night kiss
- gypsie's kiss
- gypsy's kiss
- hand-kiss
- indirect kiss
- Judas kiss
- kiss ass, kiss-ass
- kiss cam
- kiss chase
- kiss curl
- kiss-curl
- kiss-in
- kiss in the ring
- kissle
- kiss of charity
- kiss of death
- kiss-off
- kiss off
- kiss of life
- kiss of peace
- kissogram
- kiss-up
- kitty kiss
- Liverpool kiss
- rainbow kiss
- soul kiss
- Spider-Man kiss
- stage kiss
- steal a kiss
- throw a kiss
- tongue kiss
Translations
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Middle English
Swedish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kɪs/
Declension
Declension of kiss | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Uncountable | ||||
Indefinite | Definite | |||
Nominative | kiss | kisset | — | — |
Genitive | kiss | kissets | — | — |
Derived terms
- kiss och bajs-humor (“toilet humor”)
- kissblöja
- kissbomb
Related terms
Declension
Declension of kiss | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | |||
Indefinite | Definite | Indefinite | Definite | |
Nominative | kiss | kissen | kissar | kissarna |
Genitive | kiss | kissens | kissars | kissarnas |
Derived terms
Etymology 2
Onomatopoeic
Interjection
kiss
- A sound made to attract a cat; "Here, kitty, kitty!"
Usage notes
- Usually repeated several times.
- Often pronounced more like "kss, kss."
Derived terms
- kisse (“kitty-cat”)