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:
The couple kept their eyes locked on each other and sealed their vows with a kiss under a grove of eucalyptus trees.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Before placing Castro's portrait in the window, Leonel Suarez gives it a kiss.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
One reporter even claimed Fury paused to kiss Wach midway through the sixth round.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
“I’m just in my body, bro. I kiss all my friends. I’m just having fun,” Lacy said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Aunt Betsy watched as her husband and the housekeeper shared a kiss.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
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
Trump finally presented the honors this year himself, giving awards to "Rocky" actor Sylvester Stallone, disco legend Gloria Gaynor and rock band KISS.
From Barron's ● Dec. 18, 2025
Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley, founding guitarist for the American rock band KISS, has died aged 74, his family announced in a statement reported in US media.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 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
Within moments of the series’ opening, she’s sliding a pie in the oven and futzing over tiny tarts and meringue kisses to photograph for her Hungry with Hollis followers.
From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2026
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
Meloni received Rubio politely, with the customary Italian cheek kisses and brief hug, but without the demonstrative warmth she sometimes shows other dignitaries.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 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
His mother, sister, and grandmother all descended on him, pulling him into a crowd of arms and kisses and yelling.
From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh
"I remember I made a sign of the cross on each of their heads and kissed them once more. The night, its sounds, imagery and tragedy have not left me. It never will," she said.
From BBC ● Jul. 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
The cheer from the sold-out crowd at Crypto.com Arena was deafening when James kissed a left handed layup off the glass to pull the Lakers to within one possession with 2:59 left.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2026
When they walked from the military transports, some of them knelt on the tarmac and kissed the ground.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026
She was happier than I’d seen her in ages, and so was I. As we left the house that morning, she kissed me goodbye, and then whispered something in my ear as she hugged me.
From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo
The camera follows our narrator, Hermes, played by American theater legend De Shields, as he takes the stage, kissing the heads of his company.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
It is spread by close contact such as kissing, sharing vapes or drinks, or living in close quarters - like student accommodation - with a person who has the disease.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
“Everyone’s happy and excited—they’re hugging and kissing us,” said Maryna Zharkova, who has been working at the market for 25 years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
Seen from below, the table’s ebonized-birch legs also suggest, by turns, two figures kissing, ancient post-and-lintel architecture, an undulating serpent and a recumbent figure by Henry Moore.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
One of the older women elbowed Misha’s mother out of the way and grabbed Anya’s face, kissing her cheeks between words: “Shabbat. Shalom. What. A. Lovely. Little. Girl.”
From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack
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.
