noel

noun

no·​el nō-ˈel 

1

: a Christmas carol

The choir sang noels during the Christmas season.

2

capitalized : christmas

wished his friends a joyous Noel

Did you know?

English speakers borrowed the word noel from French. It can be traced further back to the Latin word natalis, which can mean "birthday" as a noun or "of or relating to birth" as an adjective. (The English adjective natal has the same meaning and is also an offspring of natalis.) Noels were being sung in Latin or French for centuries before English-speakers started using the word to refer to Christmas carols in the 18th century. An early use of noel (spelled nowell) to mean "Christmas" can be found in the text of the late 14th-century Arthurian legend Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

Synonyms

• Christmastide
• Christmastime
• yuletide

Examples of noel in a Sentence

for Noel the town puts on a festival of indoor and outdoor events, including strolling carolers in Victorian dress

Word History

Etymology

French noël Christmas, carol, from Old French Nael (Deu), Noel Christmas, from Latin natalis birthday, from natalis natal

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

noel

noun

no·​el nō-ˈel 

1

: a Christmas carol

2

capitalized : the Christmas season

Etymology

from French noël "Christmas, a carol," derived from Latin natalis "birthday"