Air kiss

Blowing a kiss.

The air kiss is a ritual or social gesture whose meaning is basically the same as that of many forms of kissing. The air kiss is a pretence of kissing: the lips are pursed as if kissing, but without actually touching the other person's body. Sometimes, the air kiss includes touching cheek-to-cheek. Also, the gesture may be accompanied by the mwah sound.^[1] The onomatopoeic word mwah has already entered the Webster's dictionary.^[2]

North America

In North America and most western countries influenced by North America, air kisses are sometimes associated with glamor models and other celebrities.

South-east Asia

In Malaysia, and Indonesia, it is common to air-kiss an elder's hand as a traditional form of respectful greeting. Instead of pursing one's lips, the younger person exhaling through his nose softly on the hand before drawing the hand to the younger person's forehead.

In the Philippines, elder relatives traditionally kiss a younger relative's cheek in this same way, by exhaling gently through the nose when the younger relative's cheek is brought close.

See also

• Air guitar
• Air quotes

References

1. ^ "MWAH", the BBC programme Keep Your English up to Date
2. ^ "Mwah in Webster's New Millennium Dictionary of English

External links

• "How to Air Kiss", a video

This sociology-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.v · Categories: Gestures Greetings Parting traditions Sociology stubs Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР? De Kiel De Haar (Coevorden) Look at other dictionaries: air kiss — n a way of greeting someone with a kiss that is near the side of their face, but that does not touch them >air kiss v [I and T] …   Dictionary of contemporary English air kiss — air′ kiss n. a pursing of the lips in a pretended kiss, as when parting on the telephone or touching cheeks in greeting • Etymology: 1985–90 …   From formal English to slang air kiss — ► NOUN ▪ a restrained embrace, in which the lips are pursed as if kissing but without making contact …   English terms dictionary air kiss — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms air kiss : singular air kiss plural air kisses a way of greeting someone by almost kissing them but not really touching them. This word often shows that the greeting is not sincere. Derived word: air kiss verb… …   English dictionary air kiss — n. a kiss that is placed on the inside of the fingers of one’s hand then “blown” to the recipient who is likely to be some distance away. □ A mass of air kisses drifted down to the wharf from the passengers departing on the huge Titanic. □ I want …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions air-kiss — verb purse the lips as if kissing, without making contact. noun (air kiss) a kiss of this kind …   English new terms dictionary air-kiss — ˈ ̷ ̷ ˌ ̷ ̷ transitive verb : to make a kissing gesture at without touching air kissed the guests • air kiss noun …   Useful english dictionary air-kiss — See air kiss. * * * …   Universalium air-kiss — See: air kiss …   English dictionary air kiss — noun see air kiss …   Useful english dictionary 18+ © Academic, 2000-2024 Contact us: Technical Support, Advertising Dictionaries export, created on PHP, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, MODx. Mark and share Search through all dictionaries Translate… Search Internet Share the article and excerpts Direct link … Do a right-click on the link above and select “Copy Link”