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.
A decorated tree and sleigh greeted guests at the entrance to the country house which had holly, ivy, mistletoe and lanterns hung throughout.
From BBC ● Jan. 12, 2025
There is little diversity on the majority of the 146-acre land, with nearly all fields grazed by sheep, but there are some wetter areas and some hedgerows of blackthorn, hawthorn, hazel, oak, gorse and holly.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2024
The first design was composed of jewel-toned swirls dotted with hand-drawn holly sprigs and coffee beans.
From Salon ● Dec. 3, 2023
For a decade, he had watched three holly plants from Australia bear fruit without having ever produced a male flower or anything that resembled pollen, the vehicle for plant sperm.
From Science Magazine ● May 17, 2023
Alyce hung holly and ivy from the charred beams in the hall.
From "The Midwife's Apprentice" by Karen Cushman
Reused supplies tend to be between 1% to 7% more expensive, said Holly McHugh, Mejuri’s vice president of sustainability and social impact.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
Holly Lester, a music producer and DJ, argues the legislation has stunted Northern Ireland’s dance-music scene.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
When Holly Mendel, the creator of the show, put the cast together, she wanted to construct an ensemble that could play together based on who they were offstage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
Holly Hawkesford is a midwife at Warwick Hospital and her son, Jasper, died seven hours after he was born in 2014.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
Holly took the stage with Rayburn trotting close behind wearing a red bandanna, and my hands burned from clapping so hard.
From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry
In 1839, Smith reported to the Linnean Society of London that he could grow new plants from the seeds of the hollies.
From Science Magazine ● May 17, 2023
In fact, hollies come in every plant form except vining.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 10, 2022
If you want berries, remember that hollies are dioecious, meaning they come in male and female, and only the female bears fruit.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 10, 2022
Plantings include hollies, magnolia, crepe myrtles, boxwoods, azaleas, camellias, roses and hydrangeas.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 9, 2022
Over the years, I’ve learned that botanists—those lucky souls who study the lives of plants all day—call some trees, such as hollies and willows, “dioecious,” which means they have separate male and female trees.
From "Wishtree" by Katherine Applegate
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