Christmas tree

noun

plural Christmas trees

1

: a usually evergreen tree decorated at Christmas

2

: an oil-well control device consisting of an assembly of fittings placed at the top of the well

3

drag racing : a set of paired colored lights arranged in two columns on a vertical pole in front of the starting line and used for starting a race

Lights on top of the Christmas tree tell the drivers to enter the staging area. Larger yellow lights mean, "get ready." The green light means "go!"

—Lori Polydoros

Examples of Christmas tree in a Sentence

We hung the lights on the Christmas tree.

Recent Examples on the Web

Known for its work across premium documentary films, series and podcasts, Dial Tone’s recent projects include the Christmas tree sales doc The Merchants of Joy, Call Me Miss Cleo (Max), Fruitcake Fraud (discovery+), What Happened at Fells Acres? —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 13 Sep. 2024

There’s a Spider-Ham snowman, Electro’s Christmas tree, Gwen Stacy’s drum kit, and a Green Goblin glider that resembles Santa’s sleigh. —Clint Davis, Peoplemag, 3 Sep. 2024

Growing up he was coached in youth football by former Baltimore Colt Gino Marchetti, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, and Joe Campanella, and went door to door in December selling Christmas trees. —Dillon Mullan, Baltimore Sun, 4 Aug. 2024

The tiny cold-water flat had no heating system other than the stove in the kitchen, which explains why in holiday photographs from that time my brother and I sit under an artificial Christmas tree as if dressed for an Arctic expedition. —Victor Lodato, The New Yorker, 29 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

Christmas tree

noun

: a usually evergreen tree decorated at Christmas