“Mwah” is now an official word for air kiss, which is a greeting or farewell gesture associated with high-profile celebrities. It may have originated with models who travel to places where a kiss on each cheek is standard. The air kiss style gravitated to the US, where it may include touching each cheek briefly while making the kissing sound. While some question its sincerity, it can connote true affection between people.
Mwah! You have just received an air kiss, sometimes spelled mwah. Indeed, mwah is now an official word for air kiss in dictionaries and is identified as having an onomatopoeic function, as it sounds like a loud kiss. First the lips are compressed to make a “mm,” then they open with the exhalation of a breath to produce the “wah” sound. A similar phrase is “kiss kiss,” which can also express an air kiss, but isn’t quite as satisfying in sound.
The air kiss or mwah is a greeting or farewell gesture, and is often associated with high-profile celebrities, models, or glamor queens. It may have specifically originated with models because models often travel to places like France where a kiss on each cheek is a standard greeting. However, if you’re kissing a model, especially before a photo shoot or fashion show, the last thing you want to do is mess up her makeup. Also, models or women in trendy makeup might smear lipstick on others, which can create the need to carry handkerchiefs.
The air kiss style clearly gravitated to the United States, where kissing tends not to be the standard form of greeting among acquaintances. It may also include touching each cheek briefly while making the kissing sound. Alternatively, the cheek-to-cheek double kiss may not include an actual kissing sound, even though the lips may remain pursed as if you are about to kiss someone.
You’ll see examples of the air kiss on numerous television shows, with or without the accompanying “mwah” sound. Some believe shows like Sex and The City popularized the greeting. Certainly other programs like America’s Next Top Model, The Real Housewives of Orange County, and even red carpet shows like those leading up to the Academy Awards have also made the air kiss quite recognizable.
Some question whether an air kiss can actually be a sincere form of greeting, especially since the double cheek kiss wasn’t particularly American in form. There is a wonderful scene dating back several decades in the film Young Frankenstein, where Dr. Frankenstein is only able to express his affection for his fiancée when they part by rubbing elbows with her, as otherwise it would damage her hair , makeup or nails.
While there may sometimes be some insincerity in the gesture, or a desire to keep up appearances, it can connote true affection between people and it certainly isn’t always fake. Each person must consider whether not wanting to damage personal appearance is superficial. Again, the reference to television shows such as Sex and the City, while they may have placed a lot of emphasis on appearance, also demonstrates that these gestures are not necessarily empty and that real affection and consideration may exist behind them.
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