Noel

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Dr. Goodword
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Noel

Postby Dr. Goodword » Wed Dec 25, 2013 1:22 am

• noel •


Pronunciation: no-welHear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: 1. (Capitalized) Christmastide. 2. (Uncapitalized) A Christmas carol.

Notes: This word was borrowed from French such a short linguistic time ago that we are still allowed to decorate it even as we decorate our Christmas trees: Noël. The sense of a Christmas carol is not popular in the US as it is in other English-speaking countries; it is often used as a synonym of Christmas in the US.

In Play: This word is used in America mostly when we sing the Christmas carol, "The First Noël", around Christmas. It also appears on many Christmas cards. Here is another use: "All of us here at alphaDictionary and Lexiteria wish all our visitors, contributors, and readers, Christian and otherwise, a joyous Noël and a happy and most prosperous New Year."

Word History: Today's word in the late 14th century was nowel "feast of Christmastide", from Old French noel "Christmastide". Noel is a variant of nael, all that was left of Latin natalis (dies) "birth (day)" by the time it reached Old French. In Church Latin it referred to the birthday of Christ, from natus, the past participle of nasci "be born". The Latin stem is found in many English words borrowed from Latin, including native, prenatal, and nation. Nasci in Old Latin was gnasci, a close relative of genus and its relatives such as general and generate. (Let's now wish Henry F. Koch an especially happy Noël for recommending today's Good and topical Word.)
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LukeJavan8
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Re: Noel

Postby LukeJavan8 » Wed Dec 25, 2013 2:10 pm

LIKEWISE

Joyeux Noel to all.
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

MTC
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Re: Noel

Postby MTC » Wed Dec 25, 2013 2:34 pm

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

1563 Noël is a main belt asteroid with an orbital period of 1184.8564680 days (3.24 years).
The asteroid was discovered on March 7, 1943.

http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=1563

Perry Lassiter
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Re: Noel

Postby Perry Lassiter » Wed Dec 25, 2013 4:04 pm

So with yon asteroid in mind, Joyeux Noel can last quite awhile.

One of those I follow on Instagram is a French lass much enamoured of her boyfriend, always commenting in French, who today wished everyone a Joyeux Noel (after singing her guy's praises)"
pl

Philip Hudson
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Re: Noel

Postby Philip Hudson » Mon Dec 30, 2013 12:39 am

From the hinterlands of Texas, a belated ¡Feliz Navidade! y'all.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.

Philip Hudson
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Re: Noel

Postby Philip Hudson » Mon Dec 30, 2013 12:42 am

Maybe I will get it right this time:

From the hinterlands of Texas, a belated ¡Feliz Navidad, y'all!
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.

MTC
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Re: Noel

Postby MTC » Mon Dec 30, 2013 2:27 am

Are you in an arroyo, Philip? There was an echo.

NOEL, noel,....

Philip Hudson
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Re: Noel

Postby Philip Hudson » Mon Dec 30, 2013 3:28 am

I'm not presently in an arroyo. What you heard were the echoes of my mind.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.


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