Xmas

[ kris-muhs or, often, eks-muhs ]

abbreviation
  1. Often Offensive. Christmas.

usage note For Xmas

The abbreviation Xmas for Christmas dates from the mid 16th century. The X is the Greek letter chi, the initial letter in the word Χριστός ( Chrīstos ) “Christ.” In spite of a long and respectable history, today Xmas is offensive to many, perhaps because of its associations with advertising. It is not used in formal writing.

Words Nearby Xmas

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How to use Xmas in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for Xmas

Xmas

/ (ˈɛksməs, ˈkrɪsməs) /


noun
  1. informal short for Christmas

Origin of Xmas

1
C16: from symbol X for Christ + -mas

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012