Noel
Americannoun
-
(esp in carols) another word for Christmas
-
rare (often not capital) a Christmas carol
Usage
What does Noel mean? Noel is another word for Christmas, the Christian holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the central figure of Christianity. 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!
Etymology
Origin of Noel
First recorded in 1805–15; from French Nöel, ultimately from Latin nātālis (diēs) “birthday”; see natal
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.
Civil servant and ruling party member Noel Urbina, 45, told AFP he does not believe Chavistas would endorse Rodriguez in a leadership contest -- a move which marks a break with the past, experts say.
From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026
“It’s a good time to buy,” Port of Long Beach chief executive Noel Hacegaba said in an interview.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
"People often imagine black holes simply swallowing everything around them," said lead author Dr. Noel Castro Segura, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Warwick.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 31, 2026
Oasis frontmen Liam and Noel Gallagher are not exactly known for agreeing on much, but they both took to social media platform X on Sunday evening to celebrate Mayo's win.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
Two hundred meters out, Noel Duckworth and Ran Laurie made a play for the early lead, surging quickly past Germany and into second place behind Switzerland, pressing them hard.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
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.
