nativity

[ nuh-tiv-i-tee, ney- ]

noun

, plural na·tiv·i·ties.

1. birth.
2. birth with reference to place or attendant circumstances:

   of Irish nativity.

3. (initial capital letter) the birth of Christ.
4. (initial capital letter) the church festival commemorating the birth of Christ; Christmas.
5. (initial capital letter) a representation of the birth of Christ, as in art.
6. Astrology. a horoscope of a person's birth.

Nativity

¹

/ nəˈtɪvɪtɪ /

noun

1. the birth of Jesus Christ
2. the feast of Christmas as a commemoration of this
3. 1. an artistic representation of the circumstances of the birth of Christ
   2. ( as modifier )

      a Nativity play

nativity

²

/ nəˈtɪvɪtɪ /

noun

1. birth or origin, esp in relation to the circumstances surrounding it

Nativity

1. The birth of Jesus , described in two of the Gospels ( Matthew and Luke ). When Jesus' parents, Mary and Joseph , traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem to be counted in a government census, they found that there was no room for them in the local inn. Mary gave birth to Jesus in a common stable and laid him in a manger (a feeding trough for livestock). Christians (see also Christian ) believe that Jesus' birth fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies and was attended by miraculous events, such as a star above Bethlehem that drew local shepherds as well as the Wise Men , or Magi , from a distant land.

Notes

The Nativity is celebrated at Christmas . We date our present historical era from the birth of Jesus, referring to the years before his birth as b.c. (before Christ ) and the years after his birth as a.d. ( anno Domini, a Latin phrase meaning “in the year of the Lord”).

Word History and Origins

Origin of nativity¹

before 1150; Middle English nativite < Middle French < Late Latin nātīvitāt- (stem of nātīvitās; native, -ity ); replacing late Old English nativiteth < Old French nativited < Late Latin, as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of nativity¹

C14: via Old French from Late Latin nātīvitas birth: see native

Example Sentences

“My soul’s above the sea and whistling a dream,” he sang, a passage from the Nativity oratorio “El Niño” by John Adams, in which Tines makes his Met debut this month.

From New York Times

All Eastern Orthodox agree that Dec. 25 is the date of Christmas, or the Feast of the Nativity, as they call it.

From Seattle Times

Other Nativity scenes across Bethlehem are surrounded by barbed wire.

From Washington Times

Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, arriving from Jerusalem for the traditional procession to the Church of the Nativity, told the sparse crowd that Christmas was a “reason to hope” despite the war and violence.

From Washington Times

Before he entered the Church of Nativity, he said this was "a very sad Christmas".

From BBC

Related Words

• establishment
• formation
• formulation
• production