Etymology

From sūkstīt ‎(“to suck repeatedly”), the iterative form of sūkt ‎(“to suck”) (q.v.), via metathesis of k and ū and epenthesis of p, perhaps dissimilated from a previous k (sūkstīt > *skūstīt > *skūkstīt > skūpstīt). A verb skūstīties ‎(“to flirt with a woman”) is attested in 19th-century texts. Note, however, that alongside sūkstīties, sūkstīties there is also a dialectal variant sūpstīties; the standard form skūpstīt might therefore result from the merging or contamination of both stems sūkstīt and sūpstīt. In some dialects, the original meaning “to suck repeatedly” can still be found (skūpstīt sukura graudu “to suck a sugar cube”). (Lithuanian dialectal skupstýti ‎(“to kiss”) is probably a borrowing from Latvian.)^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [skûːpstīːt]