Osculate
Verb
- (Formal or humorous) Kiss.
- (Of a curve or surface) Touch (another curve or surface) so as to have a common tangent at the point of contact.
Example Sentences
“People in many cultures greet each other by osculating their companions’ cheeks.”
“The sky and ocean were both so blue that it was difficult to discern where they osculated on the horizon.”
“The children groaned every time the main characters in the movie osculated.”
Word Origin
Latin, mid-17th century
Why this word?
“Osculate” originates from the Latin verb “osculari” (“to kiss”) and the noun “osculum” (“little mouth or kiss”). While a kiss between the happily married couple is often considered the romantic culmination of a modern wedding ceremony, ancient Romans viewed the practice more practically. Since literacy was not as widespread in this time, and historians speculate a kiss was a symbol of a mutual agreement, this action is likely what inspired the phrase “sealed with a kiss.”
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