nativity

UK: 'nativity', 'Nativity': /nəˈtɪvɪti/

US: /nəˈtɪvɪti, neɪ-/

US: (nə tiv′i tē, nā-)

Inflections of 'nativity' (n): npl: nativities

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

na•tiv•i•ty /nəˈtɪvɪti, neɪ-/   n., pl. -ties. 

1. [countable] a birth.
2. Religion [proper noun* the Nativity] the birth of Christ.

See -nat-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

na•tiv•i•ty  (nə tiv′i tē, nā-), n., pl. -ties. 

1. birth.
2. birth with reference to place or attendant circumstances:
   of Irish nativity.
3. Religion (cap.) the birth of Christ.
4. Religion (cap.) the church festival commemorating the birth of Christ;
   Christmas.
5. Fine Art (cap.) a representation of the birth of Christ, as in art.
6. Astrology a horoscope of a person's birth.

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

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

nativity / nəˈtɪvɪtɪ/ noun ( -ties)

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

Etymology: 14th Century: via Old French from Late Latin nātīvitas birth: see native

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Nativity / nəˈtɪvɪtɪ/ noun

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