MISTLETOE

mistletoe, Loranthus europaeus

(noun) shrub of central and southeastern Europe; partially parasitic on beeches, chestnuts and oaks

mistletoe, Viscum album, Old World mistletoe

(noun) Old World parasitic shrub having branching greenish stems with leathery leaves and waxy white glutinous berries; the traditional mistletoe of Christmas

mistletoe, false mistletoe

(noun) American plants closely resembling Old World mistletoe

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Noun

mistletoe (countable and uncountable, plural mistletoes)

(countable, uncountable) Any of several 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).

(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

• miseleden, misselden, misseldine (all obsolete or archaic)

Source: Wiktionary

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Mis"tle*toe, n. Etym: [AS. misteltan; mistel mistletoe + tan twig. AS. mistel is akin of D., G., Dan. & Sw. mistel, OHG. mistil, Icel. mistilteinn; and AS. tan to D. teen, OHG. zein, Icel. teinn, Goth. tains. Cf. Missel.] (Bot.)

Definition: A parasitic evergreen plant of Europe (Viscum album), bearing a glutinous fruit. When found upon the oak, where it is rare, it was an object of superstitious regard among the Druids. A bird lime is prepared from its fruit. [Written also misletoe, misseltoe, and mistleto.] Lindley. Loudon.

Note: The mistletoe of the United States is Phoradendron flavescens, having broader leaves than the European kind. In different regions various similar plants are called by this name.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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