Santa Claus

noun

San·​ta Claus ˈsan-tə-ˌklȯz How to pronounce Santa Claus (audio)
 also  ˈsan-tē-
variants or Santa
: a plump, white-bearded, red-suited, and jolly old man in modern folklore who delivers presents to children at Christmastime
There might be a few weeks left until Christmas, but Santa Claus and his merry elves landed early in Bakersfield because several boys and girls on the nice list caught their attention.Ema Sasic
… we had dashed downstairs to the living room to see what Santa had brought and piled up, in great mounds of splendidly wrapped packages, under the Christmas tree—whose angel's halo brushed the ceiling.Anthony Bailey

Examples of Santa Claus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Seasonal parades, fireworks and festivals will also launch, and Santa Claus will take up residence at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2024 That same day, Santa Claus will arrive for the 75th annual Dino Institute Holiday Party at Restaurantosaurus in DinoLand U.S.A. Guests can take photos with him there and throughout the resort through Dec. 24. Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024 Decorative displays light up the city, and Tivoli Gardens transforms into a magical winter wonderland with more than 60 stalls selling their wares alongside pop-up food spots and a hideout home to Santa Claus and his reindeer. Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Oct. 2024 In November 2022, Carey told W Magazine that Christmas in the Carey household includes Santa Claus visiting with his reindeer, as well as lots of family time. Jordana Comiter, People.com, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for Santa Claus 

Word History

Etymology

modification of Dutch Sinterklaas, alteration of Sint Nikolaas Saint Nicholas

First Known Use

1773, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Santa Claus was in 1773

Dictionary Entries Near Santa Claus

Cite this Entry

“Santa Claus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Santa%20Claus. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Santa Claus

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!