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

• osculatory adjective
• unosculated adjective

Etymology

Origin of osculate

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

Example Sentences

V. be contiguous &c. adj.; join, adjoin, abut on, march with; graze, touch, meet, osculate, come in contact, coincide; coexist; adhere &c.

From Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases by Roget, Peter Mark

Obedient then to Nature's law, With her they did associate, Squeeze tiny hands and osculate; Her tresses curled in fashion saw, And oft in whispers would impart A maiden's secrets—of the heart.

From Eugene Oneguine [Onegin] A Romance of Russian Life in Verse by Spalding, Henry