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

The big Christmas show every year at UConn’s Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts is the one that features Santa Claus and the Boston Pops. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2026

Get an exclusive look at Universal Pictures’ Violent Night 2, the propulsive new chapter in yuletide mayhem from 87North and returning action director Tommy Wirkola, with David Harbour reprising his role as Santa Claus. — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Aug. 2026

Multiple parents recounted a Christmas photo-op in which an ICE agent dressed as Santa Claus shoved away children who tried to hug him, then vanished with his treats the moment the cameras disappeared. — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026

Summertime visitors heading to the award-winning Holiday World theme park in Santa Claus, Indiana, can take advantage of its on-site, seasonal water park, Splashin’ Safari. — Carly Caramanna, Travel + Leisure, 31 July 2026

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

• byelaws
• candlemas
• chickasaws
• chippewas
• menopause
• repertoires
• tropopause
• ahs
• baas
• cause
• clause
• claws