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.
Where Did the Word ‘Noel’ Come From, and What Does It Mean? Our modern English word “Noel” is derived from the Middle English word nowel and means “a shout of joy or Christmas song.”
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 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.
Since early songs often used the first word as the title, a “noel” came to refer to any song about the birth of Christ. Because of this, the word now carries the dual meaning of a Christmas song and the Christmas celebration itself.
1 ENTRIES FOUND: Noel (noun) Noel /noʊ ˈ ɛl/ noun Britannica Dictionary definition of NOEL [noncount] : Christmas or the Christmas season
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 Ramadan Rosh Hashanah saint's day the holiday season See more results » (Definition of Noel from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge ...
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-.
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...
The first noel, the initial announcement of the birth of Jesus, came from angels in Heaven. ... Jesus later quoted about the Messiah bringing good news to the poor (Luke 4:17-19).
Noel Pagan (born 1965), also known simply as Noel, is an American freestyle music singer born in the Bronx, New York City. His debut single, "Silent Morning", became his first top 10 hit on the dance singles chart and peaked at No. 47 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1987.