Christmas tree

Meanings

1. An evergreen tree (usually a conifer), or an artificial tree made to resemble this, which is typically decorated with lights and ornaments and often an angel or star at its tip, and used as a decoration during the Christmas holiday season.
2. Something which resembles a Christmas tree (sense 1) in appearance (for example, in having coloured lights) or shape.
3. Something which is elaborately decorated.
4. A pattern of muscles visible in the lower back, resembling in outline the shape of a conifer.
5. A panel of indicator lights in an aircraft or a submarine.
6. An alert area at an air base with aircraft parked in stubs arranged at a 45-degree angle to a central taxiway to enable them to move rapidly to a runway; these were constructed by the Strategic Air Command of the United States Air Force during the Cold War (generally 1947–1991).
7. A pole with lights, similar to a traffic signal, used for signalling the start of an automobile race.
8. A collection of gauges, valves, and other components installed at the top of wellhead to control the flow of gas or oil.
9. A 4-3-2-1 formation, with four defenders, three centre midfielders, two attacking midfielders and a striker in a triangular pattern.
10. A Christmas party, especially one organized for (underprivileged) children by a charity, a school, etc.
11. Often with a descriptive word: any of several shrubs or trees native to Australia which bloom in summer at the end of the year around Christmastime, and so may be used as a Christmas decoration; especially the fire tree or moodjar (Nuytsia floribunda).
12. Synonym of pohutukawa (“a coastal evergreen tree, Metrosideros excelsa, native to New Zealand and producing a brilliant display of red flowers with prominent stamens around Christmastime”)

Etymology

PIE word *dóru From Christmas + tree, a calque of German Weynacht Baum (obsolete, 17th c.), Weihnachtsbaum, from Weynacht, Weihnacht (literary or poetic variant of Weihnachten (“Christmas”)) + -s- (genitive interfix) + Baum (“tree”). The custom of Christmas trees was adopted in the United Kingdom from Germany in the 19th century, having been popularized by their use by the royal family during the reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901. Sense 3 (“Christmas party”) refers to the fact that there is usually a Christmas tree (sense 1) at the event.

Translations