Definition of mistletoe Mistletoe

/mɪˈsʌltowˌ/ - [misultow] - mis•tle•toe

We found 8 definitions of mistletoe from 5 different sources.

What does mistletoe mean?

WordNet

Noun Plural: mistletoes
mistletoe - American plants closely resembling Old World mistletoe
		false mistletoe
		parasitic plant plant living on another plant and obtaining organic nutriment from it
		genus phoradendron, phoradendron any of various American parasitic plants similar to Old World mistletoe: false mistletoe
mistletoe - shrub of central and southeastern Europe; partially parasitic on beeches, chestnuts and oaks
		Loranthus europaeus
		parasitic plant plant living on another plant and obtaining organic nutriment from it
mistletoe - Old World parasitic shrub having branching greenish stems with leathery leaves and waxy white glutinous berries; the traditional mistletoe of Christmas
		Viscum album, Old World mistletoe
		parasitic plant plant living on another plant and obtaining organic nutriment from it

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= antonym
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Wiktionary

mistletoe (Noun)
Any of several parasitic evergreen plants with white berries that grow in the crowns of oaks, apple trees and other trees.
mistletoe (Noun)
A sprig of these plants used as a Christmas decoration.

Webster DictionaryWebster's Unabridged Dictionary 📘

mistletoe (n.)
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.

Wikipedia

"Mistletoe" is the common name for a group of hemi-parasitic plants in the order Santalales that grow attached to and within the branches of a tree or shrub.

Species.

The name was first given to "Viscum album" (European Mistletoe, Santalaceae), the only species native in Great Britain and much of Europe. Later the name was fgiven to other related species, including "Phoradendron serotinum" (the Eastern Mistletoe of eastern North America, also Santalaceae).

The largest family of Mistletoes, Loranthaceae, has 73 genera and over 900 species.

In culture and myths.

European mistletoe played a large role in Greek mythology, and is believed to be The Golden Bough of Aeneas, ancestor of the Romans. The Norse god Baldr was killed with mistletoe.

In Romanian traditions, mistletoe ("vâsc" in Romanian) is considered a source of good fortune.

William Shakespeare mentions it in "Titus Andronicus", Act II, Scene I: "Overcome with moss and baleful mistletoe".

Mistletoe is often used as a Christmas decoration. "Viscum album" is used in Europe and "Phoradendron serotinum" is used in North America. According to custom, the mistletoe must not touch the ground between its cutting and its removal as the last of Christmas greens at Candlemas; it may remain hanging through the year, often to preserve the house from lightning or fire, until it was replaced the following Christmas Eve..

Mistletoe ("Phoradendronflavescens") is the state floral emblem for the State of Oklahoma.

Kissing under mistletoe a