noun
osculation
ahs-kyuh-LAY-shun/ˌɑskjəˈleɪʃən/
The act of kissing.
The scene ends with a brief moment of osculation.
Etymology
The pieces make kissing an action noun. The Latin verb itself comes from osculum, literally “little mouth,” which also meant “a kiss”—a direct link between the mouth and its affectionate gesture.
More examples
- She jokingly calls a goodnight kiss an act of osculation.
- The novel describes their osculation in surprisingly elaborate detail.
- Public osculation makes him uncomfortable.
Forms
osculation · osculations
osculate verb — To kiss someone or something.