Christmas
[ kris-muh s ]
/ ˈkrɪs məs /
noun
the annual festival of the Christian church commemorating the birth of Jesus: celebrated on December 25 and now generally observed as a legal holiday and an occasion for exchanging gifts.
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Origin of Christmas
OTHER WORDS FROM Christmas
Christ·mas·sy, Christ·mas·y, adjective post-Christ·mas, adjective pre-Christ·mas, adjectiveExample sentences from the Web for christmas
British Dictionary definitions for christmas
Christmas
/ (ˈkrɪsməs) /
noun
- the annual commemoration by Christians of the birth of Jesus Christ on Dec 25
- Also called: Christmas Day Dec 25, observed as a day of secular celebrations when gifts and greetings are exchanged
- (as modifier)Christmas celebrations
Also called: Christmas Day
(in England, Wales and Ireland) Dec 25, one of the four quarter days
Compare Lady Day, Midsummer's Day, Michaelmas
Also called: Christmastide
the season of Christmas extending from Dec 24 (Christmas Eve) to Jan 6 (the festival of the Epiphany or Twelfth Night)
Word Origin for Christmas
Old English
Crīstes mæsse
Mass of
Christ
Cultural definitions for christmas
Christmas
A festival commemorating the birth of Jesus, traditionally celebrated on December 25 by most Western Christian churches. Although dating to probably as early as a.d. 200, the feast of Christmas did not become widespread until the Middle Ages. Today, Christmas is largely secularized and dominated by gifts, decorated trees, and a jolly Santa Claus.