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noun Common

kissing

KIH-sihng
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Kissing (noun) means the act of touching someone with the lips as a sign of affection. Example: “The film was criticised for having too much kissing and not enough plot.”

noun
1
The act of touching someone with the lips as a sign of affection.
"The film was criticised for having too much kissing and not enough plot."
"Kissing under the mistletoe is a popular tradition at Christmas parties."
"There was a lot of kissing and hugging at the airport reunion."
adj
1
Engaged in kissing, or close enough to almost touch.
"The two buildings stood at kissing distance from each other."

How to use kissing

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe activity of kissing, or (as an adjective) very close/touching.

Common pairings
kissing distance kissing booth
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Word forms

Plural
kissings
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The film was criticised for having too much _____ and not enough plot.

Etymology

Comes from Middle English kissynge, cussinde, from Old English cyssende, from Proto-West Germanic *kussijandī, from Proto-Germanic *kussijandz, equivalent to kiss plus -ing. It is a cognate of Saterland Frisian küsjend, Dutch kussend, German Low German küssend, German küssend, Swedish kyssande and Icelandic kyssandi.

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

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smooching snogging necking canoodling pecking osculation caressing cuddling petting snuggling fondling hugging

Related words

kiss hugging canoodling caressing cuddling fondling necking osculation

Rhymes for kissing

missing hissing pissing dissing dismissing
See all rhymes for kissing →

Frequently asked questions

What does “kissing” mean?
The word “kissing” means the act of touching someone with the lips as a sign of affection. In plain terms, the activity of kissing, or (as an adjective) very close/touching.
How do you pronounce “kissing”?
“Kissing” is pronounced KIH-sihng (/ˈkɪsɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “kissing” in a sentence?
Here is “kissing” used in a sentence: “There was a lot of kissing and hugging at the airport reunion.”
What part of speech is “kissing”?
Depending on how it is used, “kissing” can be a noun and an adjective.
Is “kissing” a common word?
“Kissing” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “kissing” have?
“Kissing” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the act of touching someone with the lips as a sign of affection.
What is the difference between kissing and snogging?
Kissing is the general act of touching someone with the lips as a sign of affection. Snogging is British informal slang for prolonged, passionate kissing, so it names a more specific and casual version of the same thing.
What is the difference between kissing and pecking?
Kissing is the general act of touching someone with the lips in affection, while a peck is a short, light kiss. Pecking therefore describes a quick, casual form of kissing rather than a lingering one.

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kiss hugging canoodling caressing cuddling fondling necking osculation