mistletoe
Any of numerous hemiparasitic evergreen plants of the order Santalales with white…Any of numerous hemiparasitic evergreen plants of the order Santalales with white berries that grow in the crowns of apple trees, oaks, and other trees, such as the European mistletoe (Viscum album) and American mistletoe or eastern mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum).
» Tom kissed Mary under the mistletoe.
Tom küsste Maria unter dem Mistelzweig.
Meaning
2 senses(countable, uncountable)Any of numerous hemiparasitic evergreen plants of the order Santalales with white berries that grow in the crowns of apple trees, oaks, and other trees, such as the European mistletoe (Viscum album) and American mistletoe or eastern mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum).
(all obsolete or archaic)
Mistel
оме́лаoméla
омелаomela
(uncountable)A sprig of one such plant used as a Christmas decoration, associated with the custom that a man may kiss any woman standing beneath it.
- shrub of central and southeastern Europe; partially parasitic on beeches, chestnuts and oaks
- Old World parasitic shrub having branching greenish stems with leathery leaves and waxy white glutinous berries; the traditional mistletoe of Christmas
- American plants closely resembling Old World mistletoe
Examples
8 sentencesTom kissed Mary under the mistletoe.
deTom küsste Maria unter dem Mistelzweig.
There was mistletoe and holly everywhere.
Mistletoe is commonly used as a Christmas decoration.
Омелу часто використовують як різдвяну прикрасу.
Tom kissed Mary under the mistletoe on Christmas Eve.
I kissed him under the mistletoe.
ruЯ поцеловала его под омелой.
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
From Middle English mistelto, mistilto (“European mistletoe”), from Old English misteltānFrom Middle English mistelto, mistilto (“European mistletoe”), from Old English misteltān (“mistletoe”), from mistel (“mistletoe; basil; birdlime”) + tān (“sprig, shoot, twig”), possibly as a calque of Old Norse mistilteinn; equivalent to mistle + tan (“twig”). This was mistaken for the plural of tā (“toe”).
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Forms
plural: mistletoesSynonyms
7 synonyms- shrub of central and southeastern Europe; partially parasitic on beeches, chestnuts and oaks:Loranthus europaeus
- Old World parasitic shrub having branching greenish stems with leathery leaves and waxy white glutinous berries; the traditional mistletoe of Christmas:Viscum albumOld World mistletoe
- American plants closely resembling Old World mistletoe:false mistletoe
Word family
12 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable