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 …

Dec 11, 2025 · 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 …

Dec 8, 2025 · “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 …

The First Noel "The First Nowell" in Carols, New and Old (1879) [1] 0:00 " The First Nowell " (or Nowel), [1] modernised as " The First Noel " [2] (or Noël), is a traditional English Christmas …

Nov 25, 2024 · 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.

Aug 5, 2025 · 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.

There are two meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun noel. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Religious festivals advent All Saints' Day All Souls' Day ascension Ascension Day Day of the Dead Divali Diwali Easter Easter Day Hegira Hejira Hijrah holy day pre-Christmas Purim …

Signifying the holiday season, Noël comes from the Latin verb nasci, meaning “to be born.” A variation of this word, nael, made its way into Old French.

Dec 25, 2025 · Noël — Learn how to say Christmas in French with audio by Marie Assel Cambier and examples by French teacher David Issokson of FrenchLearner.com.