Christmas.
A festival or holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ and incorporating various Christian, pre-Christian, pagan, and secular customs including gift-giving, which in Western Christianity is celebrated on December 25 (Christmas Day) in most places.
Meaning & usage
A festival or holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ and incorporating various Christian, pre-Christian, pagan, and secular customs including gift-giving, which in Western Christianity is celebrated on December 25 (Christmas Day) in most places.
Do you celebrate Christmas?
This Christmas we’ll open presents, then go to grandma’s for dinner.
Ellipsis of Christmas season (“the period of time before and after Christmas Day, during which people prepare for and celebrate Christmas”); Christmastime.
The last three Christmases have been good for retailers.
Christmas shoppers spent less this December than last year, but our store will probably see just as many returned items during the twelve days of Christmas.
A number of places in the United States: An uninhabited mining community in Gila County, Arizona.
A number of places in the United States: A census-designated place in Orange County, Florida.
A number of places in the United States: An unincorporated community in Au Train Township, Alger County, Michigan.
A number of places in the United States: An unincorporated community in Bolivar County, Mississippi.
A surname.
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gʰer- Proto-Indo-European *gʰrey-der. Ancient Greek χρίω (khríō) Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Hellenic *-tós Ancient Greek -τός (-tós) Ancient Greek χρῑστός (khrīstós) ▲ Biblical Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (mašīaḥ)sl. ▲ Aramaic ܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ (m'šīḥāʿ)sl. Ancient Greek Χρῑστός (Khrīstós)der. Latin Chrīstusder. Old English Crist Proto-Germanic *-as Proto-West Germanic *-as Old English -es Proto-Indo-European *mey-? Proto-Indo-European *meyth₂- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *méyth₂eti Proto-Italic *meitō Old Latin mītō Latin mittō Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin missiō Latin missabor. Old English mæsse Old English Cristes mæsse Middle English Cristemasse English Christmas The proper noun is derived from Middle English Cristemasse, Criste-mas (“Christmas Day; season of Christmas; Christmas festivities”) [and other forms], from Old English Cristes mæsse (“Christmas”, literally “Christ’s mass”), from Crist (“Christ”) + -es (possessive marker) + mæsse (“a mass (celebration of the Eucharist)”). The English word is analysable as Christ + -mas (suffix denoting a holiday or sacred day). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Kristmisse (“Christmas”), West Frisian Krystmis (“Christmas”), Dutch Kerstmis (“Christmas”), German Low German Karstmis (“Christmas”). The noun, adjective, and verb are derived from the proper noun. Adjective etymology 1, adjective sense 1 (“red and green in color”) refers to these colors being traditionally associated with Christmas.
Sprigs of holly and other evergreen plants used as Christmas decorations; also (generally), any Christmas decorations.
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gʰer- Proto-Indo-European *gʰrey-der. Ancient Greek χρίω (khríō) Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Hellenic *-tós Ancient Greek -τός (-tós) Ancient Greek χρῑστός (khrīstós) ▲ Biblical Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (mašīaḥ)sl. ▲ Aramaic ܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ (m'šīḥāʿ)sl. Ancient Greek Χρῑστός (Khrīstós)der. Latin Chrīstusder. Old English Crist Proto-Germanic *-as Proto-West Germanic *-as Old English -es Proto-Indo-European *mey-? Proto-Indo-European *meyth₂- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *méyth₂eti Proto-Italic *meitō Old Latin mītō Latin mittō Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin missiō Latin missabor. Old English mæsse Old English Cristes mæsse Middle English Cristemasse English Christmas The proper noun is derived from Middle English Cristemasse, Criste-mas (“Christmas Day; season of Christmas; Christmas festivities”) [and other forms], from Old English Cristes mæsse (“Christmas”, literally “Christ’s mass”), from Crist (“Christ”) + -es (possessive marker) + mæsse (“a mass (celebration of the Eucharist)”). The English word is analysable as Christ + -mas (suffix denoting a holiday or sacred day). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Kristmisse (“Christmas”), West Frisian Krystmis (“Christmas”), Dutch Kerstmis (“Christmas”), German Low German Karstmis (“Christmas”). The noun, adjective, and verb are derived from the proper noun. Adjective etymology 1, adjective sense 1 (“red and green in color”) refers to these colors being traditionally associated with Christmas.
Red and green in color.
Of a dish: having a sauce made with red (ripe) and green (unripe) chili peppers.
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gʰer- Proto-Indo-European *gʰrey-der. Ancient Greek χρίω (khríō) Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Hellenic *-tós Ancient Greek -τός (-tós) Ancient Greek χρῑστός (khrīstós) ▲ Biblical Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (mašīaḥ)sl. ▲ Aramaic ܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ (m'šīḥāʿ)sl. Ancient Greek Χρῑστός (Khrīstós)der. Latin Chrīstusder. Old English Crist Proto-Germanic *-as Proto-West Germanic *-as Old English -es Proto-Indo-European *mey-? Proto-Indo-European *meyth₂- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *méyth₂eti Proto-Italic *meitō Old Latin mītō Latin mittō Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin missiō Latin missabor. Old English mæsse Old English Cristes mæsse Middle English Cristemasse English Christmas The proper noun is derived from Middle English Cristemasse, Criste-mas (“Christmas Day; season of Christmas; Christmas festivities”) [and other forms], from Old English Cristes mæsse (“Christmas”, literally “Christ’s mass”), from Crist (“Christ”) + -es (possessive marker) + mæsse (“a mass (celebration of the Eucharist)”). The English word is analysable as Christ + -mas (suffix denoting a holiday or sacred day). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Kristmisse (“Christmas”), West Frisian Krystmis (“Christmas”), Dutch Kerstmis (“Christmas”), German Low German Karstmis (“Christmas”). The noun, adjective, and verb are derived from the proper noun. Adjective etymology 1, adjective sense 1 (“red and green in color”) refers to these colors being traditionally associated with Christmas.
To decorate (a place) with Christmas (“sprigs of holly and other evergreen plants used as Christmas decorations, or any Christmas decorations”).
To bring (someone) Christmas cheer.
To celebrate Christmas.
To spend Christmas or the Christmas season in some place.
To subject to Christmas celebrations.
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gʰer- Proto-Indo-European *gʰrey-der. Ancient Greek χρίω (khríō) Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Hellenic *-tós Ancient Greek -τός (-tós) Ancient Greek χρῑστός (khrīstós) ▲ Biblical Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (mašīaḥ)sl. ▲ Aramaic ܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ (m'šīḥāʿ)sl. Ancient Greek Χρῑστός (Khrīstós)der. Latin Chrīstusder. Old English Crist Proto-Germanic *-as Proto-West Germanic *-as Old English -es Proto-Indo-European *mey-? Proto-Indo-European *meyth₂- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *méyth₂eti Proto-Italic *meitō Old Latin mītō Latin mittō Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin missiō Latin missabor. Old English mæsse Old English Cristes mæsse Middle English Cristemasse English Christmas The proper noun is derived from Middle English Cristemasse, Criste-mas (“Christmas Day; season of Christmas; Christmas festivities”) [and other forms], from Old English Cristes mæsse (“Christmas”, literally “Christ’s mass”), from Crist (“Christ”) + -es (possessive marker) + mæsse (“a mass (celebration of the Eucharist)”). The English word is analysable as Christ + -mas (suffix denoting a holiday or sacred day). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Kristmisse (“Christmas”), West Frisian Krystmis (“Christmas”), Dutch Kerstmis (“Christmas”), German Low German Karstmis (“Christmas”). The noun, adjective, and verb are derived from the proper noun. Adjective etymology 1, adjective sense 1 (“red and green in color”) refers to these colors being traditionally associated with Christmas.
An expression of annoyance or surprise: Christ, Jesus Christ, Jiminy Cricket, Jiminy Crickets.
Where this word comes from
Short for Jiminy Christmas, probably a variant of Jiminy Cricket or Jiminy Crickets, a euphemism for Jesus Christ.
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.