You are probably familiar with the Christmas carol, 'The First Noel,' but do you know what 'Noel' means? We'll go over its meaning and origin.
Each December, voices rise to sing “The First Noel,” and families exchange “Joyeux Noel,” often without knowing the weight the word carries. Behind those five letters stands centuries of language, faith, music, and celebration.
Inherited from Middle French Noël, from Old French Noel, Naël, inherited from Vulgar Latin *notālis, from Latin nātālis [diēs Dominī] (“birthday of the Lord”) with dissimilation of the first -a- to -o-.
English speakers borrowed noel from the French word noël, which is also used for both the Christmas holiday and a Christmas carol. 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.
What Does Noel Mean? The True Origin, Biblical Meaning and Christmas ...
We've been singing it all season long, but what are we talking about? Find out what the word "noel" means and how to use it appropriately during the holidays.
Noel is sometimes printed on Christmas cards and Christmas wrapping paper to mean `Christmas.' Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Define Noel. Noel synonyms, Noel pronunciation, Noel translation, English dictionary definition of Noel. also No el n. 1. Christmas. 2. noël also noel A Christmas carol. American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by...
“Noel” is a word often sung at Christmas that means “birth” or “birthday,” especially the birth of Christ. It comes from the Latin natalis and French noël, referring to the celebration of Jesus’ birth.