air kisses
Blown greeting gestures
Air kisses are greeting gestures where people touch cheeks or come close without actually kissing—lips purse near the face while making a kissing sound.
Common in fashion, entertainment, and European social circles, they signal affection without physical intimacy: They exchanged air kisses at the gallery opening.
The gesture can seem pretentious or insincere to those outside such circles.
- smilePleased facial expression
- hugTight, affectionate clasp
- greetingExpression of welcome
- lipsMouth's outer edges
- cheeksFacial side surfaces
gesture · pucker · wave · smooch · etiquette · mwah · farewell · nonverbal · cultural norm · salutation · cheek to cheek · pretense · touch · nod · embrace · blush · grin · red carpet
- greetingshi, hello, hey, hola, aloha
- partyingparty animal, socializing, bachelor party, mingling, bachelorette
air kissesFrench kisses
Open-mouth romantic contact
bear hugs · deep kiss · embraces · French kiss · passionate kiss
air, kiss, airs, airy, airing, aired, airless, airier, airiest