osculate

American  

[os-kyuh-leyt] / ˈɒs kyəˌleɪt /

verb (used without object)

osculated, osculating

1. to come into close contact or union.

2. Geometry. (of a curve) to touch another curve or another part of the same curve so as to have the same tangent and curvature at the point of contact.

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verb (used with object)

osculated, osculating

1. to bring into close contact or union.

2. Geometry. (of a curve) to touch (another curve or another part of the same curve) in osculation or close contact.

3. to kiss.

osculate British  

/ ˈɒskjʊˌleɪt /

verb

1. humorous to kiss

2. (intr) (of an organism or group of organisms) to be intermediate between two taxonomic groups

3. geometry to touch in osculation

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unosculated
  adjective
• osculatory
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of osculate

1650–60; < Latin ōsculātus (past participle of ōsculārī to kiss), equivalent to ōscul ( um ) kiss, literally, little mouth ( see osculum) + -ātus -ate ¹

Explanation

To osculate is to kiss or touch with your lips. If you osculate your dog on the mouth, some of your family members will laugh while others will be disgusted. The kind of kiss you give when you osculate is by definition either a goofy one or an almost exaggeratedly formal one, like a dapper gentleman who kisses a lady's hand. There is also a mathematical definition of osculate, which is almost like a math kiss: when two surfaces or two curves touch in at least three points. The Latin root word is osculum, kiss, or literally little mouth.