English Explanatory Dictionary

mistletoe

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun

Any of numerous hemiparasitic evergreen plants of the order Santalales with white berries that grow in the crowns of apple trees, oaks, and other trees, such as the European mistletoe (Viscum album) and American mistletoe or eastern mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum).
A sprig of one such plant used as a Christmas decoration, associated with the custom that a man may kiss any woman standing beneath it.

Pronunciation

/ˈmɪs(ə)ltəʊ/ /ˈmɪz(ə)ltəʊ/ /ˈmɪsəlˌtoʊ/ /ˈmɪzəlˌtoʊ/ en-au-mistletoe.ogg

Word forms

mistletoe mistletoes misleto miseltoe misletoe mistle-toe misseltoe

Etymology

From Middle English mistelto, mistilto (“European mistletoe”), from Old English misteltān (“mistletoe”), from mistel (“mistletoe; basil; birdlime”) + tān (“sprig, shoot, twig”), possibly as a calque of Old Norse mistilteinn; equivalent to mistle + tan (“twig”). This was mistaken for the plural of tā (“toe”). Cognate with Danish mistelten (“mistletoe”), Norwegian misteltein (“mistletoe”), Icelandic mistilteinn (“mistletoe”). Compare also the simplex form West Frisian mistel (“mistletoe”), Dutch mistel (“mistletoe”), German Mistel (“mistletoe”), Swedish mistel (“mistletoe”).

Synonyms

miseleden misselden misseldine

Related words

mistle thrush viscin viscivorus viscotoxin

Derived words

American mistletoe apostle mistletoe Australian native mistletoe Dendrophthoe vitellina) bigleaf mistletoe box mistletoe cactus mistletoe Cape mistletoe Christmas mistletoe common mistletoe crimson mistletoe dense mistletoe desert mistletoe drooping mistletoe dwarf mistletoe eastern mistletoe European mistletoe false mistletoe feathery mistletoe fir mistletoe fleshy mistletoe grey mistletoe hairy mistletoe harlequin mistletoe incense-cedar mistletoe jointed mistletoe juniper mistletoe leafy mistletoe long-flowered mistletoe mahogany mistletoe mesquite mistletoe mistletoebird mistletoe bird mistletoe borer mistletoe cactus mistletoed mistletoe fig mistletoe flowerpecker mistletoe stem borer mistletoe thrush mistletoe tyrannulet mulberry mistletoe native mistletoe northern mistletoe oak mistletoe Old World mistleoe orange mistletoe Pacific mistletoe red-berry mistletoe red mistletoe rough mistletoe round-leaf mistletoe scaly mistletoe showy mistletoe sycamore mistletoe true mistletoe

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