kiss
verb (used with object)
to touch or press with the lips slightly pursed, and then often to part them and to emit a smacking sound, in an expression of affection, love, greeting, reverence, etc..
kiss
1 American
[kis]
/ kɪs /
verb (used with object)
-
kisses,
present (3rd person singular)
-
kissed,
past participle, past
-
kissing
present participle
-
to touch or press with the lips slightly pursed, and then often to part them and to emit a smacking sound, in an expression of affection, love, greeting, reverence, etc..
He kissed his son on the cheek.
-
to join lips with in this way.
She kissed him and left.
-
to touch gently or lightly.
The breeze kissed her face.
-
to put, bring, take, etc., by, or as if by, kissing.
She kissed the baby's tears away.
-
Billiards, Pool. (of a ball) to make slight contact with or brush (another ball).
verb (used without object)
-
kisses,
present (3rd person singular)
-
kissed,
past participle, past
-
kissing
present participle
-
to join lips in respect, affection, love, passion, etc..
They kissed passionately.
-
to express a thought, feeling, etc., by a contact of the lips.
They kissed goodbye at the station.
-
to purse and then part the lips, emitting a smacking sound, as in kissing someone.
-
Billiards, Pool. (of a ball) to carom gently off or touch another ball.
noun
-
kisses
plural
-
an act or instance of kissing.
-
a slight touch or contact.
-
Billiards, Pool. the slight touch of one ball by another.
-
a baked confection of egg whites and confectioners' sugar, served as a cookie.
-
a piece of toffeelike confectionery, sometimes containing nuts, coconut, or the like.
-
a small, sometimes conical, bite-size piece of chocolate, usually individually wrapped.
verb phrase
idioms
-
kiss ass, to be obsequious; fawn.
-
blow / throw a kiss, to indicate an intended kiss from a distance, usually in bidding farewell, by kissing one's own fingertips and moving the hand toward the person greeted.
KISS
2
American
[kis]
/ kɪs /
noun
kiss
1
British
/ kɪs /
verb
-
(tr) to touch with the lips or press the lips against as an expression of love, greeting, respect, etc
-
(intr) to join lips with another person in an act of love or desire
-
to touch (each other) lightly
their hands kissed
-
billiards (of balls) to touch (each other) lightly while moving
noun
-
the act of kissing; a caress with the lips
-
a light touch
-
a small light sweet or cake, such as one made chiefly of egg white and sugar
coffee kisses
KISS
2
British
abbreviation
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
kisssimple
-
kissessimple
-
have kissedperfect
-
has kissedperfect
-
am kissingprogressive
-
are kissingprogressive
-
is kissingprogressive
-
have been kissingperfect progressive
-
has been kissingperfect progressive
Past
-
kissedsimple
-
had kissedperfect
-
was kissingprogressive
-
were kissingprogressive
-
had been kissingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of kiss
before 900; Middle English kissen to kiss, Old English cyssan (cognate with German küssen, Old Norse kyssa ), derivative of Old English coss a kiss; cognate with Old Norse koss, German Küss
Explanation
To kiss is to touch someone's face or lips with your own lips. Most people kiss each other as a way of saying "Hello!" or because they love each other. You might kiss your grandma on the cheek, kiss your girlfriend on the mouth, or kiss your dog on his furry head. In each case, you're using an ancient human practice that anthropologists believe evolved either from a basic instinct, or perhaps from the habit of mothers feeding their babies pre-chewed food, mouth-to-mouth. Colloquially, you can "kiss something goodbye," or accept the fact that you'll lose it — and "the kiss of death" is something sure to bring failure.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Madonna's performance - her first VMAs show since her infamous onstage kiss with Britney Spears in 2003 - included a duet with Carpenter and an appearance from British Brat star Charli XCX.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026
Santos sarcastically thanked Kalshi for his ban, tweeting “Let’s see how much longer you guys are around for” with a kiss mark emoji.
From Salon ● Aug. 31, 2026
They’re about to kiss when her best friend yanks her away to go somewhere else, so she taps her number into Owen’s phone and dashes off.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
Before the jury was brought in, Banks, dressed in a gray suit, blew a kiss to his wife.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
“I have been to five countries. I can speak Penguin. I didn’t kiss Hank Hooperman.”
From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko
Spears, 44, joins a growing list of artists who have sold their music rights in recent years including Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, as well as Shakira and KISS.
From Barron's ● Feb. 10, 2026
Since then, Trump has been actively involved in programming, honoring some of his favorite artists like Sylvester Stallone and the band KISS, and by ordering major renovations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 27, 2026
Earlier this year, the president said he was "98% involved" in the selection of this year's Kennedy Center honourees, which included action star Sylvester Stallone and members of the rock band KISS.
From BBC ● Dec. 18, 2025
The president announced the honorees earlier this week, spotlighting singers George Strait and Gloria Gaynor, the rock band KISS, Broadway legend Michael Crawford and actor Sylvester Stallone.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2025
But Dalton, Ralph, and I showed up that morning, all dressed as Gene Simmons from KISS.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Shatner and Nichelle Nichols, a Black actress who played Lieutenant Uhura, made history in 1968 with one of the first interracial kisses ever seen on US television.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
Then he kisses kitty on the cheek and reintroduces him as Maní – the Spanish word for peanut.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
She said that "today he's giving me little kisses, he talks to me, he tells me where it hurts".
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
After numerous sightings of the couple out together and sharing kisses in 2023, they confirmed to the New York Times at the 2024 Met Gala that they were dating.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2026
She wanted to throw her arms around it and plant kisses on the leather, tin, and tassels.
From "Rickshaw Girl" by Mitali Perkins
Upon accepting her Oscar for supporting actress for the film, the nine-months pregnant Saint kissed the statuette and joked, “I may have the baby right here.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
Thiele: There was one where we kissed and one where we didn’t, where we just talked.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2026
The man went down on one knee and appeared to propose to the woman, before they kissed and embraced.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
Music: Penn kissed Madonna as the theme from “Chariots of Fire” played.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
“Wait, wait, wait. Jonah was hurt because he found a list where you wrote ‘ew’ about the idea of kissing him right after you two had finally kissed.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
Meningitis is passed through close contact - including kissing and sharing drinks or vapes.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
But jet fuel and diesel are the kissing cousins of the energy world, both coming from the same middle-distillate group at the refining stage.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
Relatives crouched on the floor to say their final goodbyes to loved ones, kissing the faces of the dead between sobs.
From Barron's ● Sep. 16, 2026
He was recently caught on camera kissing a junior lawyer in Central Park and has been placed on a leave of absence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
“They took that famous picture of me kissing that nurse.”
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
