Christmas tree

noun

plural Christmas trees

1

: a usually evergreen tree decorated at Christmas

2

: an oil-well control device consisting of an assembly of fittings placed at the top of the well

3

drag racing : a set of paired colored lights arranged in two columns on a vertical pole in front of the starting line and used for starting a race

Lights on top of the Christmas tree tell the drivers to enter the staging area. Larger yellow lights mean, "get ready." The green light means "go!"

—Lori Polydoros

Examples of Christmas tree in a Sentence

We hung the lights on the Christmas tree.

Recent Examples on the Web

Littered with animation errors, such as the inexplicable change in the number of branches on Charlie Brown’s little Christmas tree, this handmade classic became an instant hit, winning a Peabody and an Emmy the following year. —Chris Carra, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2025

Just before Christmas in 2024, Galitzine posted a photo of himself with his Christmas tree — and fans noticed his muscular physique instantly. —Rachel Raposas, People.com, 16 June 2025

These full evergreens resemble a Christmas tree, giving them a timeless landscaping look. —Heather Bien, Southern Living, 13 June 2025

By November of that year, the singer decorated her Christmas tree with Labubu toys. —Starr Bowenbank, People.com, 6 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Christmas tree

• agree
• allee
• banshee
• beastly
• bibi
• bowsprit
• carefree
• cerci
• chablis
• cowpea
• crappie
• crappy

Kids Definition

Christmas tree

noun

: a usually evergreen tree decorated at Christmas