Santa Claus

noun

San·​ta Claus ˈsan-tə-ˌklȯz 

 also  ˈsan-tē-

variants or Santa

ˈsan-tə 

: a plump, white-bearded, red-suited, and jolly old man in modern folklore who delivers presents to children at Christmastime

There might be a few weeks left until Christmas, but Santa Claus and his merry elves landed early in Bakersfield because several boys and girls on the nice list caught their attention.

—Ema Sasic

… we had dashed downstairs to the living room to see what Santa had brought and piled up, in great mounds of splendidly wrapped packages, under the Christmas tree—whose angel's halo brushed the ceiling.

—Anthony Bailey

Examples of Santa Claus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Meanwhile, 19-year-old Preston Hayes, of O’Fallon, walked the parade route as a very skinny Santa Claus as the Calvary Assembly of God Church in Flossmoor had a Christmas in July theme. —Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2025

Jade Jackson More than three dozen families, state troopers, and Target employees watched as Santa Claus landed in the Fishers Target parking lot in an Indiana State Police helicopter on a chilly Saturday morning in December, kicking off Hamilton County's annual Shop with a Cop event. —Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 2 July 2025

The Rise of Nicholas the Noble tells the tale of Santa Claus—aka Saint Nicholas. —Clea Haran, Parents, 2 July 2025

How far is Holiday World from Louisville? Holiday World, located in Santa Claus, Indiana, is about 73 miles, or approximately an hour away from Louisville. —Katie Wiseman, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

modification of Dutch Sinterklaas, alteration of Sint Nikolaas Saint Nicholas

First Known Use

1773, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Santa Claus

• chickasaws
• chippewas
• diapause
• menelaus
• menopause
• tropopause
• ahs
• baas
• cause
• clause
• claws
• coz