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:
Crisp, with notes of green apple and ripe pear and a kiss of pepper and herbs, it pairs with everything from seafood to salad to schnitzel.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026
After their sentences were handed down, Lee appeared to pray as he was led out of the dock, while Chow blew a kiss to those seated in the public gallery.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
He runs in, and they kiss as balloons rain down around them.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 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
Gia left a kiss on her beautiful face, the red lipstick a bloody smudge against the woman's brown skin.
From "The Marvellers" by Dhonielle Clayton
Also inducted on Thursday were Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of KISS, the band behind hits such as "Rock and Roll All Nite" and "Detroit Rock City."
From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 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
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 first raft of Trump-approved picks included signer Gloria Gaynor, country music legend George Strait, actor Sylvester Stallone and ’70s rock band KISS.
From Salon ● Aug. 13, 2025
At lunch, we switched our face makeup so that we were different members of KISS.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Utopia exists between the care and the kisses and the how you doin’s, it becomes flesh and bone in the embrace of full body hugs and smiles so wide they could devour the sun.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
The major gimmick is to trot out surprise Marvel characters for applause moments, like guest stars blowing air kisses to the crowd on a variety show.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 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
Then he kisses kitty on the cheek and reintroduces him as Maní – the Spanish word for peanut.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
He knows that George will say, “If you have ever gone into the woods with me…” He knows that Ray will cover George in kisses.
From "A Bird Will Soar" by Alison Green Myers
After scoring the Republic of Ireland's third goal, Jack Moylan removed his armband and kissed it before kissing his team's badge.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026
At 08:06 EDT, on September 11, 2001, Charles kissed Katherine goodbye from their New York City apartment for the last time.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 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
She pulled him down to her and kissed him on the cheek, hard, almost as hard as a bite.
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
“Wake up, my bunny,” she says, kissing her.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
After scoring the Republic of Ireland's third goal, Jack Moylan removed his armband and kissed it before kissing his team's badge.
From BBC ● Sep. 27, 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
The scent of old paper and leather wrapped itself around her, kissing her skin.
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.
