kiss

KIS/kɪs/

Verbkisses, kissing, kissed

Noun pluralkisses

8 meanings of kiss

1
verbtransitive
To touch someone with your lips to show love or to say hello.
She bent down to kiss her son goodnight.
He kissed his grandmother on the cheek.
UsageSay you kiss someone on the cheek. People kiss goodnight and kiss goodbye.
Note
2
a lip touchnouncountable
A touch with your lips to show love or to greet someone.
She gave him a quick kiss before leaving for work.
A kiss on the forehead calmed the crying baby.
UsageSay give someone a kiss or blow a kiss.
Note
3
touch lightlyverbtransitive or intransitive
To touch something very lightly, or to just barely come into contact with it.
The cue ball kissed the red one and stopped.
Her fingers barely kiss the keys as she plays.
Similartouch, brush, graze, skim
Note

Practice

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Origins

Meanings 1, 3, 7

From Old English cyssan, meaning "to kiss." It goes back to old Germanic words, and the root sound was probably an imitation of the noise of a kiss.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

The verb kiss derives from Old English cyssan. en.wiktionary.org
Old English cyssan means ‘to kiss’. en.wiktionary.org
Cyssan descends from earlier Germanic words. en.wiktionary.org
The ultimate root was probably imitative of the sound of kissing. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 2, 4–6

From Old English coss, an older Germanic word for a kiss, later shaped by the verb "kiss."

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

The noun kiss derives from Old English coss. en.wiktionary.org
Coss meant a kiss and had Germanic ancestry. en.wiktionary.org
The noun's later form was influenced by the verb kiss. en.wiktionary.org