mistletoe

Meaning

1. (countable, uncountable) Any of numerous hemiparasitic evergreen plants of the order Santalales with white berries that grow in the crowns of apple trees, oaks, and other trees, such as the European mistletoe (Viscum album) and American mistletoe or eastern mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum).
2. (uncountable) A sprig of one such plant used as a Christmas decoration, associated with the custom that a man may kiss any woman standing beneath it.

Synonyms

Viscum album

Loranthus europaeus

Old World mistletoe

false mistletoe

bird lime

mystyldene

devil’s fuge

birdlime

golden bough

lime

viscum

all-heal

Translations

gui

maretak

Mistel

muérdago

vischio

vogellijm

visco

ιξός

vesc

ökseotu

viscum

Mistelzweig

γκι

mistel

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈmɪs(ə)ltəʊ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: mistelto

Inherited from Old English: misteltān

Cognate with Danish: mistelten

Cognate with Norwegian: misteltein

Cognate with Icelandic: mistilteinn

Cognate with Western Frisian: mistel

Cognate with Dutch: mistel

Cognate with German: Mistel

Cognate with Swedish: mistel

In summary

From Middle English mistelto, mistilto (“European mistletoe”), from Old English misteltān (“mistletoe”), from mistel (“mistletoe; basil; birdlime”) + tān (“sprig, shoot, twig”), possibly as a calque of Old Norse mistilteinn; equivalent to mistle + tan (“twig”). This was mistaken for the plural of tā (“toe”).
Cognate with Danish mistelten (“mistletoe”), Norwegian misteltein (“mistletoe”), Icelandic mistilteinn (“mistletoe”). Compare also the simplex form West Frisian mistel (“mistletoe”), Dutch mistel (“mistletoe”), German Mistel (“mistletoe”), Swedish mistel (“mistletoe”).

Sentences

Asking for Ria , Leonard is told that Ria is kissing Ben under the mistletoe .