buss

Meaning

Noun

A kiss.

Verb

1. (dialectal, often, poetic, transitive) To kiss (either literally or figuratively).
2. (intransitive) To kiss.

Synonyms

kiss

😗

snog

give a kiss

osculate

osculation

candy kiss

smack

smooch

Translations

φίλημα

baciare

😗

bisou

😗

buse

😗

ramûsîn

baiser

😗

öpmek

😗

paçkirin

kussen

😗

φιλώ

petó

😗

bes

لثْمة

embrasser

φιλί

Pronounced as (IPA)

/bʌs/

Etymology

Cognate with German: bussen

Cognate with Welsh: bus

Cognate with Irish: bus

Cognate with Persian: بوس

Cognate with Latvian: buča

Cognate with Latin: basium

Cognate with French: baiser

In summary

Uncertain. First attested in the 1560s. Possibly from Proto-Indo-European *bʰus- (“lip, to kiss”) via Proto-Germanic *busaną (compare German bussen), but in any case imitative of kissing. Compare Welsh bus (“kiss, lip”) and Irish bus (“lips, mouth”) (both may have influenced English), Persian بوس (bus, “kiss”), Latvian buča (“kiss”), Latin basium (“kiss”).
Mainstream proposals like in The Free Dictionary have suggested it is a blend of old English dialect words bass (related to French baiser) and cuss (akin to kissen); perhaps compare puss.