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.
Noel Quintana pleaded guilty to a smuggling charge as well.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026
They documented frenzied communications between Noel Quintana and overseas contacts once investigators had raided their warehouse.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026
Chief executive Noel Mooney has overseen a move to eat into the FAW's reserves in a bid to make hay while the sun is shining.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
Noel said: "He had nobody and we were bringing him here and bringing him dinner and giving him food to take home."
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026
That year, a young dentistry student named Walter Noel presented to his doctor in Chicago with an acute anemic crisis, accompanied by the characteristic chest and bone pain.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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.
