Christmas
Meanings
- A festival or holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ and incorporating various Christian, pre-Christian, pagan, and secular customs, which in Western Christianity is celebrated on December 25 (Christmas Day) in most places.
- Ellipsis of Christmas season (“the period of time before and after Christmas Day, during which people prepare for and celebrate Christmas”); Christmastime.
- A number of places in the United States:
- An uninhabited mining community in Gila County, Arizona.
- A census-designated place in Orange County, Florida.
- An unincorporated community in Au Train Township, Alger County, Michigan.
- An unincorporated community in Bolivar County, Mississippi.
- A surname.
- Sprigs of holly and other evergreen plants used as Christmas decorations; also (generally), any Christmas decorations.
- Red and green in color.
- Of a dish: having a sauce made with red (ripe) and green (unripe) chili peppers.
- 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.
- An expression of annoyance or surprise: Christ, Jesus Christ, Jiminy Cricket, Jiminy Crickets.
Pronunciation
Word forms
Etymology
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.