​KISS, the act of pressing or touching with the lips, cheek, hand or lips of another, as a sign or expression of love, affection, reverence or greeting. Skeat (Etym. Dict., 1898) connects the Teut. base kussa with Lat. gustus, taste, and with Goth. kustus, test, from kinsan, to choose, and takes “kiss” as ultimately a doublet of “choice.”