Illustration of mistletoe
mistletoe
noun
mis·tle·toe
ˈmi-səl-ˌtō 
chiefly British ˈmi-zəl-
: a European semiparasitic green shrub (Viscum album of the family Santalaceae, the sandalwood family) with thick leaves, small yellowish flowers, and waxy-white glutinous berries
broadly
: any of various plants of the sandalwood family (as of an American genus Phoradendron) resembling the true mistletoe
Examples of mistletoe in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The island has a thing or two to teach the world about mistletoe – and resilience.
—
Jennifer Wolcott, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Mar. 2025
By The New York Times Wearing a crown of ivy, mistletoe, hellebore and rosemary, the queen used a toasting fork to place the bread in the branches — a gesture designed to attract robins, which are seen as harbingers of spring — before shotguns were fired to drive away malevolent spirits.
—Stephen Castle, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
Be mindful of decorations: Introduce holiday decor gradually, ensuring items such as tinsel, garlands and plants (e.g., mistletoe, poinsettias) are out of reach to prevent ingestion or injury.
—Lucy Notarantonio, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
And mistletoe, a parasitic plant that ominously sucks the nutrients out of other plants, but evolved from Druid lore into a Victorian-era invitation to steal kisses during the holidays.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 16 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for mistletoe
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jennifer Wolcott, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Mar. 2025
By The New York Times Wearing a crown of ivy, mistletoe, hellebore and rosemary, the queen used a toasting fork to place the bread in the branches — a gesture designed to attract robins, which are seen as harbingers of spring — before shotguns were fired to drive away malevolent spirits.
—Stephen Castle, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
Be mindful of decorations: Introduce holiday decor gradually, ensuring items such as tinsel, garlands and plants (e.g., mistletoe, poinsettias) are out of reach to prevent ingestion or injury.
—Lucy Notarantonio, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
And mistletoe, a parasitic plant that ominously sucks the nutrients out of other plants, but evolved from Druid lore into a Victorian-era invitation to steal kisses during the holidays.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 16 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for mistletoe
Cite this Entry
“Mistletoe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mistletoe. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mistletoe
noun
mis·tle·toe
ˈmis-əl-ˌtō
: a European plant with yellowish flowers and waxy white berries that grows on the branches and trunks of trees
also
: any of various related plants that resemble the mistletoe
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share