Question

noel noun English speakers borrowed the word noel from French. It can be traced further back to the Latin word natalis, which can mean "birthday" as a noun or "of or relating to birth" as an adjective. (The English adjective natal has the same meaning and is also an offspring of natalis.) Noels were being sung in Latin or French for centuries before English-speakers started using the word to refer to Christmas carols in the 18th century. An early use of noel (spelled nowell) to mean "Christmas" can be found in the text of the late 14th-century Arthurian legend Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. 1 : a Christmas carol2 capitalized Christmas : Christmas

Accepted Answer

December 25, 2020 noh-EL "No surprise, the 12 tracks aren't exactly traditional noels. They celebrate the season with upbeat, fast songs about animals, food, pirates, and more." — Michael Walsh, Nerdist, 6 Nov. 2020"Dating from the 17th century, the privately owned chateau—the original inspiration for the palace of Versailles—stages a Noel to remember. Festive decorations fill each room, the smell of cinnamon and spices wafts through the corridors, the gardens are strung with lights, and an enormous Christmas tree lords over the Grand Salon." — Mary Winston Nicklin, The Luxury Travel Advisor, 1 Nov. 2018

Word	noel
Date	December 25, 2020
Type	noun
Syllables	noh-EL
Etymology	English speakers borrowed the word noel from French. It can be traced further back to the Latin word natalis, which can mean "birthday" as a noun or "of or relating to birth" as an adjective. (The English adjective natal has the same meaning and is also an offspring of natalis.) Noels were being sung in Latin or French for centuries before English-speakers started using the word to refer to Christmas carols in the 18th century. An early use of noel (spelled nowell) to mean "Christmas" can be found in the text of the late 14th-century Arthurian legend Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
Examples	"No surprise, the 12 tracks aren't exactly traditional noels. They celebrate the season with upbeat, fast songs about animals, food, pirates, and more." — Michael Walsh, Nerdist, 6 Nov. 2020 "Dating from the 17th century, the privately owned chateau—the original inspiration for the palace of Versailles—stages a Noel to remember. Festive decorations fill each room, the smell of cinnamon and spices wafts through the corridors, the gardens are strung with lights, and an enormous Christmas tree lords over the Grand Salon." — Mary Winston Nicklin, The Luxury Travel Advisor, 1 Nov. 2018
Definition	1 : a Christmas carol 2 capitalized Christmas : Christmas

Christmas Noel Word Noun English Latin Nov December