Friday, April 03, 2009

Word of the Day: Osculation

What a scientific and boring sounding word …for something, one would hope, is not scientific and boring. (At least from one I can vaguely remember).

Word of the day:


osculation \os-kyuh-LAY-shuhn\, noun:


The act of kissing; also: a kiss.


He had engaged in nervous osculation with all three of Lord Flamborough's daughters.


-- Thomas Sutcliffe, "The art of seduction, the skill of the tackle", Independent, June 13, 1994


Their incessant onstage osculations during her last concert tour seemed to offer public proof of their passion.


-- "The Big Boom in Breakups", People, November 13, 1995


Osculation comes from osculatio, "a kissing," from osculari, "to kiss," from osculum, "a little mouth, a kiss," diminutive of os, "mouth."

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