Synonyms

Christmas Eve

American

noun

the evening or the day preceding Christmas.

Christmas Eve British

noun

the evening or the whole day before Christmas Day

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Christmas Eve

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

We humans eat seven fishes on Christmas Eve, samosas on Eid al-Fitr and maple cookies behind the moon.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

When Geumseong's phone rang on Christmas Eve 2020, he answered nervously.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

On Christmas Eve 2024, a mechanical problem prompted the evacuation of skiers from a lift.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026

My father left my mother with five young children on Christmas Eve 1978.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

The operation, he told Julia, would take place on Christmas Eve.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023