holly

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈhɒli/ (UK); /ˈhɑli/ (US)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English holi, a reduced form of earlier holin,^[2][3][4] inherited from Old English holegn (“holly”) (also holen),^[5][2][6] from Proto-Germanic *hulin-,^[2] cognate with Old Saxon hulis, Old High German hulis, Middle Dutch huls and Dutch hulst.^[5][2][4] It is also related to Middle Irish cuilenn and Welsh celyn,^[2][6] probably all from Proto-Indo-European *kel- (“to prick”), from the spiny leaves.^[2][5] French houx is from a Germanic source.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Old English Holegn about 958, in a place name, and holen about 1000;^[5] Middle English holin before 1200, and holy in 1440, in the Promptorium Parvulorum.^[5] The OED's first quotation for the plant is from about 1150.^[7]

Semantic evolution

The evergreen with bright red berries is used especially for Christmas decoration.^[2][8] The name was extended to other prickly-leaved shrubs from 1846.^[7] At Tenby, holly-beating was an old custom on St Stephen's Day.^[9]

Timeline

• c. 958 – Holegn, in a place name.^[5]
• c. 1150 – holly, the plant.^[7]
• 1440 – holy.^[5]
• 1846 – other similar plants.^[7]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A tree or shrub of the genus Ilex, with glossy, spiny evergreen leaves and bright red berries.
2. Branches of holly, used as Christmas decoration.
3. Any of various similar plants, as sea holly.

Word family

• Japanese holly
• sea holly

Related words

• holm oak
• ilex
• mistletoe

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c d e f g Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
6. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
7. ^ a b c d Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
8. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
9. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)