Christmas tree

noun

plural Christmas trees

1

: a usually evergreen tree decorated at Christmas

2

: an oil-well control device consisting of an assembly of fittings placed at the top of the well

3

drag racing : a set of paired colored lights arranged in two columns on a vertical pole in front of the starting line and used for starting a race

Lights on top of the Christmas tree tell the drivers to enter the staging area. Larger yellow lights mean, "get ready." The green light means "go!"

—Lori Polydoros

Examples of Christmas tree in a Sentence

We hung the lights on the Christmas tree.

Recent Examples on the Web

Western North Carolina: Hurricane Helene upended the region’s Christmas tree industry. —Mike Belleme, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025

One of the holiday photos featured a snap of Kourtney and Travis' other children in front of a Christmas tree. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 13 Feb. 2025

In the photo, the two Today co-hosts posed together in front of a Christmas tree, while their daughters stood in front of them and smiled. —Hannah Sacks, People.com, 12 Feb. 2025

Although there’s an unused menorah tucked high on a bookshelf, their living room is dominated by a huge Christmas tree. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

Christmas tree

noun

: a usually evergreen tree decorated at Christmas