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

Customers can book photo opportunities with Santa Claus at select locations starting November 21. —Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 Oct. 2025

Santa Claus, SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star are also expected at the parade. —Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 22 Oct. 2025

Total Wine’s Wine Adventure Advent Calendar The box looks like something Santa Claus might have made himself. —Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025

That’s in character for rabid Philly fans, who once tossed snowballs at Santa Claus during a long-ago Eagles game. —Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 8 Oct. 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