OSCULATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does osculate mean? 

• OSCULATE (verb)
  The verb OSCULATE has 3 senses:

1. be intermediate between two taxonomic groups

2. have at least three points in common with

3. touch with the lips or press the lips (against someone's mouth or other body part) as an expression of love, greeting, etc.

  Familiarity information: OSCULATE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• OSCULATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they osculate    ... he / she / it osculates   
Past simple: osculated   
Past participle: osculated   
-ing form: osculating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be intermediate between two taxonomic groups

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

These species osculate

Hypernyms (to "osculate" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Have at least three points in common with

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

these two surfaces osculate

Hypernyms (to "osculate" is one way to...):

share (have in common)

Domain category:

math; mathematics; maths (a science (or group of related sciences) dealing with the logic of quantity and shape and arrangement)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something ----s something

Derivation:

osculation ((mathematics) a contact of two curves (or two surfaces) at which they have a common tangent)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Touch with the lips or press the lips (against someone's mouth or other body part) as an expression of love, greeting, etc.

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

buss; kiss; osculate; snog

Context example:

She kissed her grandfather on the forehead when she entered the room

Hypernyms (to "osculate" is one way to...):

touch (make physical contact with, come in contact with)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "osculate"):

peck; smack (kiss lightly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Sentence example:

Sam cannot osculate Sue

Derivation:

osculation (the act of caressing with the lips (or an instance thereof))

osculator (someone who kisses)