Noel

Most Christians celebrate the holiday on December 25, but it is celebrated on January 7 in the Orthodox Church due to the use of a different calendar.

Christmas is also widely observed in secular (nonreligious) ways. Popular activities include the decoration of a Christmas tree and the exchange of gifts.

However, the word Noel is often used in a religious context. It’s possible for people to wish each other a Happy Noel, but the word is perhaps most commonly seen written on things like Christmas cards and decorations.

The word can also be used to refer to a Christmas carol or song (in which case it is not capitalized), but is no longer commonly used this way.

Fittingly, most people know the word from the popular Christmas carol “The First Noel.”

Example: We wish you and your family a joyous Noel!

Where does Noel come from?

The first records of the word Noel in English come from the early 1800s. It comes from French Nöel—the French way of saying Merry Christmas is Joyeux Noël.

The word derives from Latin word nātālis (diēs), meaning “birthday.” Another name for Christmas is Nativity. Both Nativity and Noel reference the birth of Jesus and ultimately come from the Latin verb nāscī, meaning “to be born.” The English word natal (meaning “relating to a person’s birth”) is also based on this root.

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What are some synonyms for Noel?

What are some words that share a root or word element with Noel?

What are some words that often get used in discussing Noel?

How is Noel used in real life?

Noel is usually used on things like Christmas cards and decorations. Most people know the word from the Christmas carol “The First Noel.”

Joyful Noel…. spending time with family in Texas

— Jessica Alexander (@JAlexander2) December 26, 2009

Merry Christmas from my family to yours!!! Joyous Noel and happy holidays!!!

❤️🐬❤️ pic.twitter.com/TUfY3KZfoa

— 🐬Dolphin311983🐬 (@Dolphin321983) December 24, 2018

The First Noel 🎶 A Christmas classic sung beautifully by @GabbyBarrett_ on #CMAchristmas 🥰🎄 pic.twitter.com/MUdqgPMq5d

— ABC (@ABCNetwork) December 1, 2020

Try using Noel!

Is Noel used correctly in the following sentence?

We gather here today to celebrate Noel, the Nativity of our Lord.

How to use Noel in a sentence

With the absence of fellow shot-block artist Mitchell Robinson due to injury, Noel has fortified the Knicks’ defense seamlessly, finally living up to his potential as the sixth pick out of the University of Kentucky way back in 2013.
Your 2021 NBA Playoff Guide|Toyloy Brown|May 19, 2021|Ozy
Noel’s role is not conducive to him being a major scorer, but his rim protection will help the Knicks maintain their hard-nosed defensive identity.
Your 2021 NBA Playoff Guide|Toyloy Brown|May 19, 2021|Ozy
Noel has started 37 games as a result and has fit seamlessly in Thibodeau’s defense.
The Knicks Are Getting More Than Their Money’s Worth From Their Veterans|Jared Dubin|May 11, 2021|FiveThirtyEight
Noel signed a one-year, $5 million deal with New York and was supposed to be the backup to third-year center Mitchell Robinson.
The Knicks Are Getting More Than Their Money’s Worth From Their Veterans|Jared Dubin|May 11, 2021|FiveThirtyEight

Noel declined to comment on what public health measures Wilkie observed to participate in the event.
Veterans Affairs Secretary Headlines GOP Fundraiser as COVID-19 Cases Surge|by Isaac Arnsdorf|October 21, 2020|ProPublica
Noel Canning comes out of the dysfunction surrounding appointments to the five-member NLRB.
Deregulators Lost at the Supreme Court When It Comes to Blocking Presidential Appointees|Aziz Haq|June 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Grossman recruited Noel Stookey instead, who henceforth went by his middle name Paul.
Fact Vs. Fiction in ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’: The Real Story of Folk is Far Less Dejected Than the Movie|Jimmy So|December 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST
But the real reason for the outcry to the joke was contained in the article written by Noel Sheppard of Newsbusters.
The Tea Party’s War on Comedy|Dean Obeidallah|October 24, 2013|DAILY BEAST
In the early 2000s, Dutschke joined a Tupelo studio called Kinetic Kick owned by Noel McMichael.
Ricin Suspect J. Everett Dutschke Arrested|Winston Ross|April 27, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The rest is filler, which means you have to listen to “The First Noel” and “The Christmas Song” a lot more than you might like.
Christmas Music Sucks (Mostly), but Here’s a Playlist of Holiday Gems|Malcolm Jones|December 7, 2012|DAILY BEAST
M. Noel, in a dress-coat, very dark skinned and with mutton-chop whiskers, came forward to meet us.
The Nabob|Alphonse Daudet
"And he would have done very well," remarked M. Noel, entering at these last words, very much excited.
The Nabob|Alphonse Daudet
A diversion was another portrait of himself, this time undertaken by Charles Noel Flagg.
Mark Twain, A Biography, 1835-1910, Complete|Albert Bigelow Paine
I have ordered Mr. Noel to drop every article in my Lords commissions when they shall be hoisted up to too high a price.
Prices of Books|Henry B. Wheatley
When Mr. Noel had finished his farewell visit to-day, Mr. Flower was announced, so my morning has run away in chat.
George Eliot's Life, Vol. I (of 3)|George Eliot

British Dictionary definitions for Noel

Noel

Nol

/ (nəʊˈɛl) /

noun

(esp in carols) another word for Christmas

(often not capital) rare a Christmas carol

Word Origin for Noel

C19: from French, from Latin nātālis a birthday; see natal 1

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