mistletoe
[ mis-uh l-toh ]
/ ˈmɪs əlˌtoʊ /
noun
a European plant, Viscum album, having yellowish flowers and white berries, growing parasitically on various trees, used in Christmas decorations.
any of several other related, similar plants, as Phoradendron serotinum, of the U.S.: the state flower of Oklahoma.
Origin of mistletoe
before 1000; Middle English
mistelto, apparently back formation from Old English
misteltān (
mistel mistletoe, basil +
tān twig), the
-n being taken as plural ending; cognate with Old Norse
mistilteinn
Words nearby mistletoe
mistigris,
mistime,
misting,
mistinguett,
mistle thrush,
mistletoe,
mistletoe bird,
mistletoe cactus,
mistook,
mistral,
mistranslate
Example sentences from the Web for mistletoe
British Dictionary definitions for mistletoe
mistletoe
/ (ˈmɪsəlˌtəʊ) /
noun
a Eurasian evergreen shrub, Viscum album, with leathery leaves, yellowish flowers, and waxy white berries: grows as a partial parasite on various trees: used as a Christmas decoration: family Viscaceae
any of several similar and related American plants in the families Loranthaceae or Viscaceae, esp Phoradendron flavescens
mistletoe cactus
an epiphytic cactus, Rhipsalis cassytha, that grows in tropical America
Word Origin for mistletoe
Old English
misteltān, from
mistel mistletoe +
tān twig; related to Old Norse
mistilteinn