any of numerous trees or shrubs of the genus Ilex, as I. opaca American holly, the state tree of Delaware, or I. aquifolium English holly, having glossy, spiny-toothed leaves, small, whitish flowers, and red berries.
the foliage and berries, used for decoration, especially during the Christmas season.
Buddy Charles Hardin Holley, 1936–59, U.S. rock and roll singer and guitarist.
a female or male given name.
any tree or shrub of the genus Ilex, such as the Eurasian I. aquifolium, having bright red berries and shiny evergreen leaves with prickly edges
branches of any of these trees, used for Christmas decorations
another name for holm oak
What does holly mean? Holly is a plant (tree or shrub) known for its bright red berries and its glossy, prickly-edged evergreen leaves. There are many varieties of holly, all of which belong to the genus Ilex. Most people are familiar with the common varieties of decorative holly, including American holly (scientific name Ilex opaca) and English holly (Ilex aquifolium)In many places, holly is associated with wintertime and particularly with the Christmas season. (Some varieties of holly are known as winterberry.) During this season, holly branches are popularly used in decorations such as wreaths. Although holly plants are not especially known for their flowers (which are small and white), holly is one of the December birth flowers (a flower that’s associated with a particular month in the same way as a birthstone). American holly is the state tree of Delaware. Holly is also a given name, most traditionally a feminine one. Example: I just love the look of a real holly wreath on the door—it’s so festive!
before 1150; Middle English holi ( e ), holyn, Old English hole ( g ) n; cognate with Welsh celyn, Irish cuillean; akin to Dutch, German hulst, French houx (< Old High German hulis )
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Holly Williams: Williams has been a foreign correspondent working out of Istanbul since 2012.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026
It’s thought that the dwelling initially served as Hoult’s primary California base—and he purchased it just a few weeks before welcoming his first child with wife Bryana Holly.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026
As co-curator Holly Shaffer put it in her walk-through with me, “It’s not just about training, nationality or ethnicity; these artists are playing with style.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026
Translators "have to rewrite the whole thing, redo the translations, but they still only get paid the reduced rate," said Holly Parsons, a Spanish-to-English translator at the beginning of her career.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
Holly froze, looking like she’d swallowed a pincushion.
From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
