plural Xmases
informal
: christmas
I don't expect to get away for Xmas.—
Alexander Woollcott
Alexander WoollcottLester was carrying boxes marked Xmas from the corner of the garage to the truck.—Gloria Naylor
—now used chiefly for brevity in advertisements, headlines, etc.
Gloria Naylor
Examples of Xmas in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The legendary entertainer’s Xmas effort lifts 41-20, for her 34th U.K. top 40 single.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 26 Dec. 2023
On December 20, the Barbie bros left one more present under the mojo dojo casa house’s Xmas tree.
—Vulture, 25 Dec. 2023
But beyond appearing reliably on playlists around the world every Christmas, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) is also a peace anthem, and Sean wanted to reintroduce the song’s message.
—Rebecca Keegan, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2023
And this Xmas cut represents the first time any of the former 5H bandmates have collaborated since the pop group went on hiatus in 2018.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 1 Dec. 2023
Whether doing some early Xmas shopping or grabbing a styler for yourself, strike while the Corrale is hot.
—Sarah Han, Allure, 27 Nov. 2023
Generally, the plots revolve around someone (frequently played by Mean Girls alum Lacey Chabert) who leaves a big city, goes home (or to some quaint bourg) for Christmas—often post-breakup—meets a special person (usually an Xmas aficionado), and fights off falling in love.
—Angela Watercutter, WIRED, 24 Nov. 2023
Melania can plant some of her red Xmas trees in it.
—Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2023
Also, Xmas singles from Kelly Clarkson, Andy Williams, The Ronettes, Band Aid, Sia, John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band and Burl Ives impact the top 40.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 28 Dec. 2022
Lars Brandle, Billboard, 26 Dec. 2023
On December 20, the Barbie bros left one more present under the mojo dojo casa house’s Xmas tree.
—Vulture, 25 Dec. 2023
But beyond appearing reliably on playlists around the world every Christmas, Happy Xmas (War Is Over) is also a peace anthem, and Sean wanted to reintroduce the song’s message.
—Rebecca Keegan, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2023
And this Xmas cut represents the first time any of the former 5H bandmates have collaborated since the pop group went on hiatus in 2018.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 1 Dec. 2023
Whether doing some early Xmas shopping or grabbing a styler for yourself, strike while the Corrale is hot.
—Sarah Han, Allure, 27 Nov. 2023
Generally, the plots revolve around someone (frequently played by Mean Girls alum Lacey Chabert) who leaves a big city, goes home (or to some quaint bourg) for Christmas—often post-breakup—meets a special person (usually an Xmas aficionado), and fights off falling in love.
—Angela Watercutter, WIRED, 24 Nov. 2023
Melania can plant some of her red Xmas trees in it.
—Ben Brasch, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2023
Also, Xmas singles from Kelly Clarkson, Andy Williams, The Ronettes, Band Aid, Sia, John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band and Burl Ives impact the top 40.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 28 Dec. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Xmas.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
X (symbol for Christ, from the Greek letter chi (X), initial of Christos Christ) + -mas (in Christmas)
First Known Use
1721, in the meaning defined above
Articles Related to Xmas
Dictionary Entries Near Xmas
Cite this Entry
“Xmas.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Xmas. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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