smooch
UK[smuːtʃ]US[smuːtʃ]
v
to kiss someone in a romantic or sexual way
n
a romantic or sexual kiss
Etymology
the word 'smooch' is a 20th-century american slang term, first recorded in the 1930s. it is believed to be an onomatopoeic or expressive formation, imitative of the sound or action of a kiss. this places it in a category of informal, often playful, words for kissing, such as 'peck' or 'snog'. its journey from a novel, sound-suggestive creation to an established informal term demonstrates how language evolves to create vivid, colloquial expressions for common human actions.
Analysis
the word is considered an unsegmentable simplex. it is likely of imitative origin, functioning as a slang term.
Examples
they were caught smooching behind the school gym.
he gave her a quick smooch on the cheek before leaving.
the movie ended with the classic Hollywood smooch.