Christmas
English · Thesaurus
AI In plain words
Writing a short explanation…
Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
Christmas¹
- /ˈkɹɪsməs/ US, UK
Rhymes with -ɪsməs
Where it comes from
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”). Doublet of Kiritimati.
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.
proper noun Christmases · Christmasses · Christ-mas · Christmass · Christmasse · Xmas
-
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?
Similar: Chrimble, Chrimbo, Chrissy, Crimble, Crimbo, Noel, Yule
- 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.
- 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.
noun
-
Sprigs of holly and other evergreen plants used as Christmas decorations; also (generally), any Christmas decorations.
[T]he antient Britons employed for the decoration of their houſes, or, more properly ſpeaking, of their bovvers, branches of ever-green, in invitation to the ſpirits: a cuſtom, vvhich, hovvever the motive may be aboliſhed, is retained to this inſtant. That kind of verdure vvhich is uſed to deck the
Similar: Christmasing
adjective
- Red and green in color.
- Of a dish: having a sauce made with red (ripe) and green (unripe) chili peppers.
verb Christmases · Christmasses · Christmasing · Christmassing · Christmased
- To decorate (a place) with Christmas (“sprigs of holly and other evergreen plants used as Christmas decorations, or any Christmas decorations”). "Then look," said a gardener to me, "what's spent on a Christmasing the churches! Why, now, properly to Christmas St. Paul's, I say properly, mind, would take 50l. worth at least; aye, more, when I think of it, nearer 100l. I hope there'll be no 'No Popery' nonsense against Christmasing this year. I
- To bring (someone) Christmas cheer. Her labours feast imperial Night with sports, / Where loves are Christmass'd, with all pleasure's sorts; […]
- To celebrate Christmas. The 2016 campaign via TBWA Sydney asks the question, ‘How do Australians Christmas?’ with a film to be launched today featuring global superstar and style icon, Cate Blanchett.
- To spend Christmas or the Christmas season in some place. I've Christmased since those palmy days / In many a varied spot, / And suffered many a weary phase / Of Christmas cold and hot.
- To subject to Christmas celebrations. “[…] But there’s only so much joyful, greedy delight you can see in a young child’s eyes before you want to go screaming out for the nearest bar.” He tossed his handstitched, kidskin gloves onto the table top. “I’m about Christmassed-out, if you want to know.”
Christmas²
- /ˈkɹɪsməs/ US, UK
Rhymes with -ɪsməs
Where it comes from
Short for Jiminy Christmas, probably a variant of Jiminy Cricket or Jiminy Crickets, a euphemism for Jesus Christ.
interjection
-
An expression of annoyance or surprise: Christ, Jesus Christ, Jiminy Cricket, Jiminy Crickets.
"Christmas! I didn't know it," said Harvey, turning round. "I'll give you a dollar for it when I—get my wages. Say, I'll give you two dollars."
Similar: Jesus Christmas, jiminy Christmas, Jimmy Christmas
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: christmas day, christmastide, yule, christmastime, yuletide, xmas, noel, holiday, eve, santa, noël, jesus, nativity, birthday, native, jul
Translations
Every language
name festival or holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ which in Western Christianity is celebrated on December 25 in most places
| Español | Navidad, Crismes |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 크리스마스 Keuriseumaseu, 성탄절 Seongtanjeol |
| 日本語 | クリスマス Kurisumasu, 聖誕祭 Seitansai, 聖誕節 Seitansetsu |
| 中文 | 聖誕節 /圣诞节 Shèngdànjié |
| हिन्दी | क्रिसमस krismas, क्रिस्मस krismas, बड़ा दिन baṛā din, ईद-ए-तवल्लुद īd-e-tavallud, ईद-ए-विलादत īd-e-vilādat |
| Kiswahili | Krismasi |
| Português | Natal |
| Français | Noël, jour de Noël, Christmas |
| Deutsch | Weihnachten |
| Italiano | Natale |
| Ελληνικά | Χριστούγεννα Christoúgenna |
| Română | Crăciun, Nașterea lui Isus Cristos, Nașterea Domnului |
| Русский | Рождество́ Христо́во Roždestvó Xristóvo, Рождество́ Roždestvó, Кри́стмас Krístmas |
| Tiếng Việt | Nô-en, Giáng sinh |
| العربية | الْكْرِيسْمَاس al-krīsmās, الْمِيلَاد al-mīlād, عِيد الْمِيلَاد ʕīd al-mīlād |
| עברית | חַג הַמּוֹלָד khag ha'molad |
Talk about this word "Christmas." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/christmas. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. Christmas. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/christmas "Christmas." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/christmas.Cite this
@misc{christmas_2026,
title = {Christmas},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/christmas},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
