Etymology

Christmas

Christ·mas
C3H4R1I1S1T1M3A1S1

Today it means: Sprigs of holly and other evergreen plants used as Christmas decorations; also (generally), any Christmas decorations. Full definition →

Middle English Cristemasse ← Old English Cristes mæsse ← Latin missa
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Christmas · proper noun, noun, adjective, verb1

  1. Proto-Indo-European*gʰer-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*gʰrey-
  3. Ancient Greekχρίω (khríō)
  4. Ancient Greekχρῑστός (khrīstós)
  5. Biblical Hebrewמָשִׁיחַ (mašīaḥ)
  6. Aramaicܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ (m'šīḥāʿ)
  7. Ancient GreekΧρῑστός (Khrīstós)
  8. LatinChrīstus
  9. Old EnglishCrist
  10. Proto-Indo-European*mey-?
  11. Proto-Indo-European*meyth₂-
  12. Proto-Indo-European*méyth₂eti
  13. Proto-Italic*meitō
  14. Old Latinmītō
  15. Latinmittō
  16. Latinmissiō
  17. Latinmissa
  18. Old Englishmæsse
  19. Old EnglishCristes mæsse
  20. Middle EnglishCristemasse
  21. English todayChristmas

The proper noun is derived from Middle English Cristemasse, Criste-mas (“Christmas Day; season of Christmas; Christmas festivities”) [and other forms], from Old English Cristes mæsse (“Christmas”, literally “Christ’s mass”), from Crist (“Christ”) + -es (possessive marker) + mæsse (“a mass (celebration of the Eucharist)”). The English word is analysable as Christ + -mas (suffix denoting a holiday or sacred day). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Kristmisse (“Christmas”), West Frisian Krystmis (“Christmas”), Dutch Kerstmis (“Christmas”), German Low German Karstmis (“Christmas”). Doublet of Kiritimati. The noun, adjective, and verb are derived from the proper noun. Adjective etymology 1, adjective sense 1 (“red and green in color”) refers to these colors being traditionally associated with Christmas.

Christmas · interjection2

Short for Jiminy Christmas, probably a variant of Jiminy Cricket or Jiminy Crickets, a euphemism for Jesus Christ.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.