20 Types Of Kisses & The Meaning Behind Each One, From Experts (2024)

Kissing can be exciting, nerve-wracking, comforting, and every now and then, completely awkward. The nuances in kissing all depend on context: who you're with, how often you've kissed them, and yes, the type of kiss.

Also known as a makeout, the French kiss includes a mix of open-mouth kissing and tongue (it is a sex organ, after all). Generally, people try to control the amount of tongue used here, but "some people prefer wet, open-mouthed kisses,” Stray Conger says. It's all about trial and error.

The air kiss is more of a greeting than a romantic gesture, and it can be exchanged totally platonically between even friends and family members. It occurs when two people purse their lips as if they're going to kiss, then brush past the other's cheek without actually touching. In some cultures, a single air kiss is appropriate, while others go for two or three.

The peck is a simple, light touch of the lips. The lips might be closed and slightly puckered or pursed, or they might be looser. This is generally what people aim for with their first kiss because it's intimate without being overly sensual. Plus, it's pretty hard to mess up.

Forehead kisses are literally that: a kiss placed on someone's forehead. These types of kisses are an affectionate and nurturing gesture, and they tend to signal more sweetness and care than sexual attraction. Forehead kisses can be given between romantic partners but are also commonly given to children from parents or older family members.

If you associate hand kisses with The Crown more than your own dating life, you're not alone. These, when combined with a bow, are often seen as a sign of respect for diplomats or members of royalty. But kissing someone's hand while holding it can also just be a tender, loving gesture if there's an existing relationship between the two people.

Since the neck is a vulnerable part of thebody, exposing it is generally a sign of flirtation or comfort, body language expertBlanca Cobb, M.S., once told mbg. Goingin for a few neck kisses in the middle of a makeout session can be super erotic. Brown-James recommends kissing the napeof the neck as well as the sides of the neck.

Butterfly kisses are when you get cheek-to-cheek and flutter your eyelashes against the other person's eyes or face so that they feel like they're being kissed by a butterfly's wings. These sweet "kisses" are usually exchanged between a parent and young child, but they can also be shared with a partner.

Kissing someone on the cheek can be a platonic greeting gesture, and it's common for friends and family members to exchange these types of kisses in some cultures. In other situations, it can also be a good way to hint that you like someone if you're not quite ready for a lip-to-lip kiss. Usually planting your lips firmly on the person's cheek and lingering for a moment there can add additional romantic meaning to a cheek kiss.

Take the phrase "bite" very lightly here—in fact, consider it more of a nibble to start. If you want to make your French kiss a bit more interesting, consider gently biting your partner's lip or lightly tugging it with your teeth. Just try not to break skin, unless they're into that.

A body kiss is a way to make your makeout session more intimate or erotic, or it can be a form of foreplay. "You can kiss various body parts like earlobes, sides of necks, insides of wrists, and other hot spots, where blood flow is close to the surface of the skin," Brown-James says. "This would include places like the butt crease, inner wrist, nape of the neck, inner arm and armpit, and even the popliteal (back of the knee)."

A lizard kiss is when partners kiss by touching tongues only, sans lips. The lizard kiss is certainly unique, and it's definitely not for everyone. It can be incorporated into makeout sessions, interspersed between French kissing, usually as a way to add more erotic charge.

The earlobe kiss, like the neck kiss, can be extremely vulnerable and erotic. Since the earlobes contain a lot of nerve endings, this can be a sensitive and stimulating area and is often considered an erogenous zone.

Nipple play can be extremely pleasurably for some people, and some women can even org*sm from it. That's because this type of touch activates the same nerve cortex as the cl*tor*s. Along with massaging, tracing, and pinching the breasts, kissing the nipples can bring pleasure for some.

This is not the same as oral sex, but it's a good segue into it. Kissing your partner through their underwear or directly on the skin of their genitals can leave them wanting more.

This kiss is based on the famous Spiderman movie scene, where Tobey Maguire (Spiderman) kisses Kirsten Dunst (Mary Jane Watson) while hanging upside. This can be done with one person lying down, and the other person standing above them. When you kiss, your chins will be touching each other's noses.

A top-of-the-head kiss usually comes from a parent or grandparent. These can provide a sense of safety, comfort, and familiarity for people. They can signal the same sense of security when coming from a partner, especially when combined with a hug from behind.

The single lip kiss is a little more sensual than a peck since the mouth is slightly open. This is a good intro to a French kiss, where one partner kisses the other's bottom lip while the other kisses the top lip.

Shoulder kisses, especially when done from behind, can be an invitation for a makeout. It can be a sultry and intimate kiss, although alternatively it can also be sprinkled in during a cuddling session depending on your cuddling position.

This type of affectionate kiss occurs when one person gently kisses the other person's eyelid. This type of kiss can have many meanings, but it's often a romantic gesture because it's such an uncommon form of kiss. It can be especially sweet to kiss someone's eyelids when they've been crying.

A nose kiss can be lip-to-nose or nose-to-nose. Most commonly it's a sweet, familial greeting (similar to the butterfly kiss), where two people will rub their noses together.

The science behind kissing

Humans are one of the few animal species to kiss, along with orangutans and bonobos. However, the act is so deeply embedded in our culture, most people don't even think to ask why humans kiss.

According to evolutionary psychologist and University at Albany professor Gordon Gallup Jr., Ph.D., kissing may have evolved as a primitive feeding gesture between mother and child, in which the mom would chew up her food and transfer it to the child's mouth.

On a more romantic and sexual level, biological anthropologist Helen Fisher, Ph.D., once told mbg kissing may have evolved as a mating ritual.The lips are one of the thinnest layers of skin on the human body, Fisher explained.

The benefits of kissing

Kissing tips

The takeaway

Kissing can be seriously fun if you're with the right person and you both know what you're doing. It increases feelings of closeness and improves sexual wellness, no matter the type of kiss. And clearly, there are a lot of them.