How to pronounce kiss
Say it like KIS. Kiss is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce kiss. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KIS
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Kiss pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KISSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of kiss
American and British speakers say kiss in essentially the same way: /kɪs/ in the US and /kɪs/ in the UK.
British respelling: KIS.
What does kiss mean?
- touch with the lips or press the lips (against someone's mouth or other body part) as an expression of love, greeting, etc.“The newly married couple kissed”“She kissed her grandfather on the forehead when she entered the room”
- touch lightly or gently“the blossoms were kissed by the soft rain”
- a cookie made of egg whites and sugar
- any of several bite-sized candies
- a light glancing touch“there was a brief kiss of their hands in passing”
Where does kiss come from?
Cognates include Saterland Frisian küsje, Dutch kussen, German Low German küssen, German küssen, Danish and Norwegian Bokmål kysse, Faroese, Icelandic, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish kyssa.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with kiss
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of kiss.
Questions about saying kiss
How do you pronounce kiss?
Say KIS. The American pronunciation is /kɪs/. In British English it is /kɪs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in kiss?
Kiss is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KIS.
Do Americans and Brits say kiss the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kɪs/ and the British form is /kɪs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.