A kiss is one of the most universal gestures in the world. It’s a wordless way to show affection that transcends language, culture, and even species boundaries, conveying a great deal of meaning through that simple act. Whether it’s a romantic gesture, a form of foreplay, or a platonic way to express love and affection, kissing speaks volumes without making a sound.
But kisses are about more than just smooching; they’re historical and cultural symbols that carry a variety of meanings, as diverse as the people who give them. A kiss can seal a promise, greet a friend, show respect or admiration, offer comfort, or say goodbye. In some places, kisses are even considered sacred.
Whether shared between lovers, family, or friends, each type of kiss tells a story. They carry many meanings and help to strengthen the bond between the people involved, emphasizing emotional connection above all else. We’ll explore 20 types of kisses to reveal just how deeply this simple gesture is woven into the fabric of life.
#1 French Kiss
The French kiss is a universal symbol of passion, an intimate act that turns a simple kiss on the lips into a full makeout session. This passionate kiss is open-mouthed, though the amount of tongue used varies between couples. Its name dates back to early 20th-century England, when “French” was associated with passion, sensuality, sex, and relationships.
In France, however, it’s called “le baiser amoureux” (“the lover’s kiss”) and represents the passionate and romantic side of relationships without scandal.
While it’s a widely recognized gesture in the West, French kissing still raises eyebrows in more conservative cultures. Few iconic moments capture its true allure like Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard’s unforgettable deep kiss in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
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#2 Butterfly Kiss
Light as a feather, this gentle kiss involves a different part of the body: the eyelashes. While many couples combine it with a kiss on the lips, the butterfly kiss uses the fluttering of eyelashes to convey tenderness, making it a sweet and playful way to make contact. The name is, of course, inspired by the sensation of a butterfly’s wings.
Despite its modern name, the butterfly kiss has a long history, dating back to the 19th century. It has become more common as families have adopted it to show platonic affection.
Bob Carlisle’s song “Butterfly Kisses,” for example, was written for his daughter. It’s also popular with lovers and demonstrates that kissing your partner doesn’t have to be excessive.
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#3 Cheek Kiss
A kiss on the cheek is one of the most versatile gestures in the world. It’s friendly, polite, and gentle among friends and family, but also sweetly affectionate between romantic partners.
It has a long history as a gesture of goodwill, respect, and greeting, and remains a cornerstone of social etiquette today.
The number of cheek kisses given as a greeting varies by region: one in Colombia, two in France, and three in Belgium. Many people openly kiss strangers on the cheek, whereas others prefer to reserve this gesture for people they know.
World leaders often exchange cheek kisses at summits, transforming an age-old, affectionate gesture into a symbol of modern diplomacy.
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#4 Peck
Quick, simple, and sincere, a peck is the classic everyday kiss. It’s not erotic or full of saliva; it’s just a quick kiss on the mouth that conveys warmth without turning into a full-blown PDA session.
It is one of the most traditional kisses with no fixed origin, though it is a similar gesture to the light “pecking” movement made by birds.
Universally accepted, the simple peck bridges the gap between platonic and romantic affection. It’s a way of greeting or parting with your loved one, or simply showing them affection in front of others.
It’s short, but meaningful. Movie fans will remember Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson’s goodbye kiss in Lost in Translation as a classic example of this heartfelt kiss.
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#5 Spider-Man Kiss
The iconic Spider-Man kiss, made legendary by Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst in the 2002 superhero movie, is a cinematic fantasy turned pop-culture challenge.
Performed with one partner upside-down, it blends passion and playfulness in a truly unique and breathtaking way.
This kiss has no historical roots, aside from its appearance in the Spiderman comics, but its cultural impact is undeniable.
With so many different types of kisses already accepted, the Spiderman kiss proved that a new kind could be created, and people have been recreating it ever since.
The moment was so memorable that it even won MTV’s “Best Kiss” award in 2003 and is regularly re-enacted at weddings and comic book conventions alike.
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#6 Hand Kiss
Once a symbol of chivalry, the hand kiss remains a graceful gesture of affection, admiration, and respect. There’s something sensual about one partner lifting the other’s hand and pressing a kiss to it, which creates a very different vibe from kissing your partner’s mouth.
However, it can also be a non-romantic gesture, depending on the context.
The hand-kissing tradition dates back to medieval Europe, when knights would greet noblewomen or pledge loyalty to their monarchs. Today, it is still used in formal and ceremonial situations just as often as it is between lovers.
Moviegoers will recognize it from films ranging from The Godfather to The Princess Bride.
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#7 Air Kiss
The air kiss is the signature high-society greeting, exchanged without any physical contact. People pucker their lips as if to kiss but stop short of touching the other person’s face, making it one of the most elegant kisses.
It originates from historic European elite circles where direct touch was discouraged.
Today, it’s as common on red carpets as it is between friends at brunch, turning the act of non-physical kissing into something more mainstream and playful.
Think of the effortless charm of socialites in shows like Sex and the City, where every “mwah” carries its own meaning.
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#8 Angel Kiss
Like its namesake, the angel kiss is soft and protective. It is placed on the eyelids or near the eyes, providing gentle pressure to an area rich in nerve endings to evoke comfort and devotion.
Its name derives from birthmarks often seen on babies, caused by clusters of blood vessels in the eyelids, and believed to be the blessings of angel kisses.
Angel kisses imply purity, as if the giver is bestowing a guardian angel on the recipient.
Around the world, it is used as a romantic and family gesture, and was famously shown on-screen in Cameron Diaz’s Christmas movie The Holiday.
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#9 Shoulder Kiss
The shoulder kiss is an often-overlooked form of body kiss, but it’s one of the most sensual. It conveys quiet intimacy and is often a spontaneous, surprise kiss delivered from behind.
There’s a sense of easy contact and closeness between the people involved, and while it’s not tied to any specific tradition, it has become a symbol of modern romance.
This kiss is frequently seen both on and off-screen, and while it can be passionate and romantic, it’s not reserved only for lovers.
Actress Amy Adams received a shoulder kiss from Cate Blanchett on the 2024 TIFF red carpet, showing the power of spontaneity and playfulness in this gesture.
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#10 Biting Kiss
The biting kiss isn’t for everyone, sitting at the intersection of mischief and passion.
One partner bites the other’s lip while they kiss, giving a playful nibble or a gentle tug. It’s a sensual gesture that sparks tension, often used as foreplay or just to have fun together.
Such actions date back to ancient art and literature, where love and pain were linked as metaphors.
Today, it has transcended the page and become a genuine gesture exchanged by modern partners to express their primal, uninhibited desire.
As seen in Basic Instinct, it’s a sultry, intense kiss that signals a deep connection.
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#11 Top-of-the-Head Kiss
Perhaps the most nurturing kiss of all, the top-of-the-head kiss conveys protection, love, reassurance, and devotion, all wrapped up in one simple gesture.
Parents give it to their children, lovers give it to one another, and friends sometimes exchange it as well. Historically, it dates back to ancient times, symbolizing blessing and guardianship, which were commonly found in churches.
Now a universally recognized symbol of affection, it embodies and transcends romance to convey a deep emotional bond.
In Blue Valentine, Ryan Gosling tenderly kisses Michelle Williams on the head; a small but powerful gesture that speaks a thousand words.
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#12 Blown Kiss
There aren’t many actions that truly speak louder than words, but a blown kiss always makes its intention clear.
Like the air kiss, it shares affection without physical contact, but this one involves pressing fingertips to lips and “sending” the kiss to the other person.
Its origins date back to ancient Greece, where people blew kisses to win favor with the gods.
Today, it’s a playful farewell among friends, a sweet way to show affection to children, and a non-physical romantic gesture between partners.
It’s unmistakable, but it achieved timeless icon status thanks to Marilyn Monroe, who was often seen blowing kisses to cameras or admirers.
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#13 Eskimo Kiss
The Eskimo kiss is one of the most tender and unique ways to show affection.
This kiss involves rubbing noses rather than meeting lips, though many couples add a quick peck on top. It’s a close, familiar gesture that comes from a Western misunderstanding of Inuit tradition.
Kunik actually means pressing a nose to a cheek, not another nose.
However, other cultures have adopted the mistaken version as a way to express affection without intense kissing, and it can also be used in a platonic context.
It was a sweet moment in the movie Elf, used to show the innocence and charm of a kiss without lips.
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#14 Earlobe Kiss
Soft, teasing, and endlessly intimate, the earlobe kiss deepens physical bonds by targeting one of the body’s most sensitive areas.
Whether it’s as gentle as a whisper or more of a playful bite, it’s a gesture typically reserved for lovers in private moments.
Although they lack a formal history, earlobe kisses have long symbolized lust and seduction in Western romance.
In popular culture, it has become shorthand for intimacy, often appearing in romantic movie scenes or suggestive songs.
We only need to recall the earlobe kisses in the fight-turned-flirtation scenes in Mr. and Mrs. Smith to see how electric and romantic they can be.
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#15 Forehead Kiss
The forehead kiss is a symbol of gentle affection, conveying “I care” more than “I desire.” When one person gently kisses another on the forehead, they’re showing support.
Evidence of forehead kissing dates back to Ancient Greece, where it was seen as a blessing, and it has also become an apologetic gesture in some Arabic cultures.
Today, it remains a universal gesture of love, crossing age, gender, and relationship boundaries to unify people.
Parents comforting children, lovers sharing affection, or friends showing they care, all commonly use the forehead kiss as a natural gesture.
It has appeared countless times in the media, perhaps most famously in the tragic romance Titanic.
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#16 Lizard Kiss
Similar to a French kiss but with a different technique, the lizard kiss is a modern, reserved technique reserved for the most passionate embraces.
It involves quick flicks of the tongue, mimicking a lizard’s darting movement, and can be as serious or playful as the couple prefers. It’s definitely a modern novelty with no formal historical origins.
The lizard kiss captures the playful side of intimacy: spontaneous, teasing, and light-hearted.
Though it has been jokingly used in several movies, including Zoolander, which features a montage of exaggerated tongue kisses, it can also be sensual in the right circumstances.
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#17 Nose Kiss
There’s nothing as sweet as a kiss on the nose, especially during a tender parent-child moment or in a romantic embrace with a partner.
Unlike the Eskimo kiss, which involves rubbing noses together, the typical nose kiss uses lips to express tenderness with a touch of humor. It has no historical roots, but has long appeared in art and photography as a symbol of innocence.
It captures affection without being intense and is less full-on than kissing on the mouth, which many couples prefer.
In La La Land, Ryan Gosling gives Emma Stone a gentle nose kiss, a subtle gesture that highlights their chemistry without going overboard.
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#18 Vampire Kiss
Intensely erotic and undeniably romantic, the vampire kiss is a type of neck kiss that includes a bite. Popularized by Gothic fiction and movies, vampire kisses involve passionately kissing someone’s neck, with varying levels of sucking and nibbling.
Sometimes, a mark is left behind, which is why it’s called bloodsucking.
Vampire content is very popular with modern audiences, so different types of vampire kisses have appeared in Twilight and The Vampire Diaries.
It has come to symbolize forbidden love, temptation, and all-consuming passion in pop culture, while also increasing sexual intimacy between partners.
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#19 Stomach Kiss
The stomach kiss is both one of the most tender and one of the funniest gestures of affection. It involves one partner placing their lips on the other’s stomach and has become a common practice in maternity photoshoots, symbolizing both romantic and familial love.
This makes sense given its historical association with fertility and maternity in many cultures.
In India and the Middle East, for instance, kissing the belly is a symbol of respect for life’s essence.
However, it is also used by couples who are not expecting, as a way to share playful affection, make each other laugh, and enjoy a more relaxed side of romance.
In The Notebook, a stomach kiss is used to show the emotional, non-performative side of love.
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#20 Lip Kiss
The lip kiss is the most straightforward and most familiar type of kiss, and it remains the purest symbol of love and affection.
From ancient Indian carvings to Roman frescoes and Renaissance paintings, kissing on the lips is one of the oldest romantic gestures that remains a staple of our culture today.
It’s widely accepted in many parts of the world to kiss on the mouth in public, but many cultures still disapprove of public displays of affection.
Many couples also prefer to kiss privately to maintain the intimacy and meaning of the gesture.
The very first on-screen kiss happened in 1896 in The Kiss, and since then, very few movies haven’t featured at least one iconic liplock.
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FAQ
What is a Languorous Kiss?
A languorous kiss is a slow, deep, and passionate kiss that typically involves the exchange of tongues.
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