A kiss is the act of pressing one's lips against the lips or other body parts of another person or of an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, affection, respect, greeting, friendship and good luck, among many others. In some situations a kiss is a ritual, formal or symbolic gesture indicating devotion, respect or greeting, as in the case of spouses kissing at the conclusion of a wedding ceremony or national leaders kissing each other in greeting, and in many other situations.
Depending on the culture, relationship and context, a person may kiss another on their lips, cheek, head, hand and each of these gestures may carry a different social significance. The word came from Old English cyssan (“to kiss”), in turn from coss (“a kiss”).
Read more about Kiss: Expression of Affection and Love, History, Types, Kiss As Ritual, Contemporary Practices, Legality, In Religion, Biology and Evolution
Famous quotes containing the word kiss:
“Better the rule of One, whom all obey,
Than to let clamorous demagogues betray
Our freedom with the kiss of anarchy.”
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)
“I would go fifty miles on foot, for I have not a horse worth riding on, to kiss the hand of that man whose generous heart will give up the reins of his imagination into his author’s hands,—be pleased he knows not why, and cares not wherefore.”
—Laurence Sterne (1713–1768)
“He says he loves my daughter:
I think so too; for never gaz’d the moon
Upon the water as he’ll stand and read
As ‘twere my daughter’s eyes: and, to be plain,
I think there is not half a kiss to choose
Who loves another best.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)