kiss

See also: KISS and 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 or (obsolete) kist)

    1. (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.
    2. (ambitransitive) 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.
    3. (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, “Kissing in the Moonlight”‎[2]performed by The Boppers:
        We're kissing in the moonlight / Love was shining so bright and true
    4. (transitive, archaic) To treat with fondness.
    Synonyms
    Derived terms
    Descendants
    • Esperanto: kisi
    • Japanese: キス (kisu)
    • Korean: 키스 (kiseu)
    Translations
    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

    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)

    1. A touch with the lips, usually to express love or affection, or as a greeting.
      • 1889, Rudyard Kipling, “The Education of Otis Yeere”, in Under the Deodars, Boston: The Greenock Press, published 1899, page 42:
        “It was the most absurd kiss. I don't believe he'd ever kissed a woman in his life before. I threw my head back, and it was a sort of slidy, pecking dab, just on the end of the chin — here.” Mrs. Hauksbee tapped her masculine little chin with her fan.
    2. 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[.]
    3. A type of filled chocolate candy, shaped as if someone had kissed the top. See Hershey's Kisses.
    4. (astronomy) The alignment of two bodies in the solar system such that they have the same longitude when seen from Earth; conjunction.
    5. (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
    Translations

    See also

    Anagrams

    Middle English

    Verb

    kiss

    1. alternative form of kissen

    Swedish

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /kɪs/

    Etymology 1

    Partly imitative, partly a euphemism for piss (see pissa (to pee)).

    Noun

    kiss n (uncountable)

    1. pee, wee, tinkle, urine
      Synonyms: (vulgar) piss, urin
      kiss och bajs
      pee and poo
    Declension
    Declension of kiss
    nominative genitive
    singular indefinite kiss kiss
    definite kisset kissets
    plural indefinite
    definite
    Derived terms
    See also
    • kissnödig (feeling the urge to pee; having/needing to pee, etc.)
    • toalett (toilet; bathroom)

    Noun

    kiss c

    1. (slang, childish, now rare) the (male or female) genitalia
      kissen
      the genitals
    Declension
    Derived terms

    Etymology 2

    Onomatopoeic

    Interjection

    kiss

    1. A sound made to attract a cat; "Here, kitty, kitty!"
    Usage notes
    • Usually repeated several times.
    • Often pronounced more like "kss, kss."
    Derived terms

    References

    Anagrams