sun-kissed

American  

[suhn-kist] / ˈsʌnˌkɪst /

Also sun kissed,

adjective

1. (of skin) tanned or bronzed, or (of hair) lightened in color, by or as if by the sun.

   This natural bronzer enriches your skin and adds radiant, sun-kissed color.

   A newer trend is for sun-kissed blonde hair and darker roots.

2. abounding in sunshine; characteristically sunny.

   His work has taken him all over the world, from the sun-kissed beaches of Zanzibar to the icy wastes of the Arctic Circle.

3. evoking sunshine or sunny weather.

   We only use peak season tomatoes, so the sauce is filled with sun-kissed deliciousness.

   The festival kicked off with one of my favorite bands drenching the early afternoon in sun-kissed tropical pop.

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Etymology

Origin of sun-kissed

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

In its seven decades of racing, Formula One has become synonymous with some of the most glamorous, sun-kissed locations in the world, from Miami to Monte Carlo.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

After attending President Donald Trump's State of the Union address to Congress, Rubio flew overnight to join the summit in Saint Kitts and Nevis, a sun-kissed former British colony of fewer than 50,000 people.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

A starting four-shot advantage over the field had grown to seven at a sun-kissed Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.

From BBC • Jul. 20, 2025

HOPLAND, Calif. — On a sun-kissed hillside in remote Northern California, I watched in awe as a crackling fire I’d helped ignite engulfed a hillside covered in tall, golden grass.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2025

Immie had stood, sun-kissed, in that jewelry store on the Vineyard.

From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart