Blowing a Kiss Meaning
Definition: To kiss your fingertips and mime blowing it to someone, usually when parting.
Blowing someone a kiss is a way to show affection when saying goodbye. If you are too far to give them a physical kiss, you can give a friend or loved one a kiss “through the air,” and they will understand you are sending love.
It is an act often performed by celebrities as well, who aren’t sending a kiss to one person but all their fans. They may be on stage and use their hand to blow kisses to the audience, as a way to reach the entire group at once.
Origin of To Blow Someone A Kiss
In The History of the Kiss! (published 2013) Marcel Danesi writes,
- The act of blowing kisses originated in Mesopotamia as a means to gain favor with the gods.
It is a popular act throughout the English-speaking world, though the phrase itself varies. In the past, it was also known as throwing a kiss, and in India, they say flying kiss to mean the same thing.
Blow someone a kiss probably didn’t originate until after the 1600s, when the descendant of Old English blawan became the term for make an air current.
Examples of To Blow Someone A Kiss
In the modern day, people use the phrase blow a kiss in parting:
- He blew me a kiss goodbye as I rode away on the train.
-and-
- We blew kisses as we waved goodbye.
As mentioned in the above sections, celebrities also use it when giving kisses to a crowd:
- The actress blew kisses at the crowd while she walked the red carpet.
Here is an example dialogue between a boyfriend and his girlfriend, who is leaving on a work trip.
Sarah: I’ll miss you. I’ll be back next week.
Joe: Have a safe trip. I hope you have a great time and make a lot of sales.
Sarah: So do I; I will call you when I get there.
Joe: Okay, don’t forget to blow me a kiss from the plane.
Sarah: I won’t!
More Examples
- The 19-year-old decided to blow some kisses as she posed up a storm during a photocell for the 42nd Deauville American Film Festival in France just days after [her and Brooklyn Beckham’s] their split. –The Sun
- If Joe says ‘no’ to this request, cheerfully tell your child, “That’s okay, Sarah! Let’s wave bye-bye to Joe and blow him a kiss.” –The Huffington Post
Summary
The act of blowing someone a kiss is the pantomime of sending a kiss to a person who is near enough to see but not touch.
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