Santa Claus

American  

[san-tuh klawz] / ˈsæn tə ˌklɔz /

Or Santa Klaus

noun

1. a benevolent figure of legend, associated with Saint Nicholas, supposed to bring gifts to children on Christmas Eve.

---

Santa Claus British  

/ ˈsæntə ˌklɔːz /

noun

1. Often shortened to: Santa.  Also called: Father Christmas.  the legendary patron saint of children, commonly identified with Saint Nicholas, who brings presents to children on Christmas Eve or, in some European countries, on Saint Nicholas' Day

---

Etymology

Origin of Santa Claus

1765–75, from Dutch Sinterklaas, equivalent to sint saint + heer (Myn)heer ( def. ) + Klaas, short for Niklaas Nicholas ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Santa Claus

The "spooky" note, dated to 1964, said the coins were winnings from a horse called Santa Claus that ran that year.

From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026

More than 25,000 people attend the annual SantaCon event in New York City, dressed up as Santa Claus, elves and other holiday characters.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 15, 2026

The vocal music is written for an excellent quartet of singers who play a bevy of Sue-adjacent characters and observers—her ex-husband, Santa Claus, a newscaster, a trio of algorithms and Death, among others.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 11, 2026

Hirsch’s father, Yale Hirsch, founder of the Stock Trader’s Almanac, popularized the Santa Claus rally indicator back in the early 1970s.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 4, 2026

He had fake snow and snow globes and stockings hung by the fireplace and lots of wrapped presents from Santa Claus.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah