plural Xmases
informal
: christmas
I don't expect to get away for Xmas.Alexander Woollcott
Lester was carrying boxes marked Xmas from the corner of the garage to the truck.Gloria Naylor
now used chiefly for brevity in advertisements, headlines, etc.

Examples of Xmas in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The event — called the Xmas in July Drag Brunch Charity Fundraiser — will be hosted by entertainer Nicole Halliwell and bring a cast of South Florida’s superstar female impersonators to the Oakland Park venue. Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 9 July 2024 The legendary entertainer’s Xmas effort lifts 41-20, for her 34th U.K. top 40 single. Lars Brandle, Billboard, 26 Dec. 2023 On December 20, the Barbie bros left one more present under the mojo dojo casa house’s Xmas tree. Vulture, 25 Dec. 2023 But beyond appearing reliably on playlists around the world every Christmas, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) is also a peace anthem, and Sean wanted to reintroduce the song’s message. Rebecca Keegan, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2023 And this Xmas cut represents the first time any of the former 5H bandmates have collaborated since the pop group went on hiatus in 2018. Lars Brandle, Billboard, 1 Dec. 2023 Whether doing some early Xmas shopping or grabbing a styler for yourself, strike while the Corrale is hot. Sarah Han, Allure, 27 Nov. 2023 Generally, the plots revolve around someone (frequently played by Mean Girls alum Lacey Chabert) who leaves a big city, goes home (or to some quaint bourg) for Christmas—often post-breakup—meets a special person (usually an Xmas aficionado), and fights off falling in love. Angela Watercutter, WIRED, 24 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Xmas.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

X (symbol for Christ, from the Greek letter chi (X), initial of Christos Christ) + -mas (in Christmas)

First Known Use

1721, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Xmas was in 1721

Dictionary Entries Near Xmas

Cite this Entry

“Xmas.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Xmas. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

Xmas

noun
informal
Etymology

from X, a symbol for Jesus Christ, and -mas, from Christmas; the X is from the Greek letter X "chi," the first letter in the Greek word Christos "Christ"

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!