mistletoe

noun

mis·​tle·​toe ˈmi-səl-ˌtō 

 chiefly British  ˈmi-zəl-

: a European semiparasitic green shrub (Viscum album of the family Santalaceae, the sandalwood family) with thick leaves, small yellowish flowers, and waxy-white glutinous berries

broadly : any of various plants of the sandalwood family (as of an American genus Phoradendron) resembling the true mistletoe

Illustration of mistletoe

Examples of mistletoe in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The island has a thing or two to teach the world about mistletoe – and resilience. —Jennifer Wolcott, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Mar. 2025

By The New York Times Wearing a crown of ivy, mistletoe, hellebore and rosemary, the queen used a toasting fork to place the bread in the branches — a gesture designed to attract robins, which are seen as harbingers of spring — before shotguns were fired to drive away malevolent spirits. —Stephen Castle, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025

Be mindful of decorations: Introduce holiday decor gradually, ensuring items such as tinsel, garlands and plants (e.g., mistletoe, poinsettias) are out of reach to prevent ingestion or injury. —Lucy Notarantonio, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024

And mistletoe, a parasitic plant that ominously sucks the nutrients out of other plants, but evolved from Druid lore into a Victorian-era invitation to steal kisses during the holidays. —Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 16 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English mistilto, from Old English misteltān, from mistel mistletoe + tān twig; akin to Old High German & Old Saxon mistil mistletoe and to Old High German zein twig

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mistletoe

• acknow
• aglow
• ago
• airglow
• aloe
• altho
• although
• ammo
• backflow
• backhoe
• banjo
• barbeau

Kids Definition

mistletoe

noun

mis·​tle·​toe ˈmis-əl-ˌtō 

: a European plant with yellowish flowers and waxy white berries that grows on the branches and trunks of trees

also : any of various related plants that resemble the mistletoe

Medical Definition

mistletoe

noun

mis·​tle·​toe

ˈmis-əl-ˌtō, chiefly British ˈmiz-

: any of various parasitic or semiparasitic plants (family Loranthaceae, the mistletoe family) that have thick leathery mostly opposite and sometimes scaly leaves and include some formerly used in preparations with oxytocic, antispasmodic, or heart-stimulating properties: as

a

: a European semiparasitic green shrub (Viscum album) having somewhat poisonous leaves, stems, and waxy-white glutinous berries that have been used in folk medicine

b

: any of various American plants (genus Phoradendron and especially P. serotinum synonym P. flavescens) resembling the true mistletoe of Europe