Understand every
Christmas word.

The Christmas glossary: 14 words, plain English

Labels, the same ones Wayfold uses: In the text means the verse says it; History is background from sources; Interpretation and Debated mean readers differ; Tradition means the church added it later.

AdventLatin adventusTradition

“Coming.” The church season of preparation before Christmas, which also looks ahead to Christ's return. The word itself isn't in the Bible; the season is a church tradition. In 2026 it begins Sunday, November 29.

Source: Britannica, Advent

Annunciationfrom Luke 1In the text

The angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary that she would bear a son and name him Jesus. The name for the scene is traditional; the scene is Luke 1:26-38.

“Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him ‘Jesus.’” Luke 1:31, WEB

Immanuel (Emmanuel)Hebrew ‘Immanu’elIn the text

“With us is God.” First a sign-name in Isaiah 7:14; Matthew applies it to Jesus and translates it for his readers.

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall give birth to a son. They shall call his name Immanuel,” which is, being interpreted, “God with us.” Matthew 1:23, WEB

Source: BLB lexicon H6005

MessiahGreek Messias, from Hebrew mashiachIn the text

The Anointed One: the promised king. The Greek form appears only twice in the New Testament, both in John.

He first found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which is, being interpreted, Christ). John 1:41, WEB

Source: BLB lexicon G3323

ChristGreek ChristosIn the text

Not a surname. It means “anointed,” the Greek equivalent of Messiah. The angels use it on the first night.

“For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11, WEB

Source: BLB lexicon G5547

BethlehemHebrew Bet LehemHistory

“House of Bread.” A town in the Judaean Hills about 5 miles (8 km) south of Jerusalem, the home of King David, which is why Luke calls it “David's city.”

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, being small among the clans of Judah, out of you one will come out to me who is to be ruler in Israel.” Micah 5:2, WEB

Source: Britannica, Bethlehem

Census (enrollment)Luke 2:1-2Debated

A registration ordered by Caesar Augustus, the reason Joseph travels from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Its exact date is debated by historians.

“Now in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.” Luke 2:1, WEB

Swaddling clothesKJV wording, Luke 2:7In the text

Strips of cloth wrapped snugly around a newborn. The World English Bible says “bands of cloth.” The angels give it to the shepherds as part of the sign.

“This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.” Luke 2:12, WEB

MangerGreek phatnēIn the text

A feeding trough for animals. All four New Testament uses are in Luke: three at the birth, and once for an ox's stall (13:15). No stable is named.

“She wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7, WEB

Source: BLB lexicon G5336

InnGreek katalymaInterpretation

A lodging place. The same word is the “guest room” of the Last Supper (Luke 22:11), so many scholars picture a full guest room in a family house rather than a commercial inn.

‘Tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’’ Luke 22:11, WEB

Source: BLB lexicon G2646

Heavenly hostGreek stratiaIn the text

An army. In Luke 2:13 it's an army of angels, and what the army does is sing praise.

“Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God.” Luke 2:13, WEB

Source: BLB lexicon G4756

Magi (wise men)Greek magosTradition

Learned men “from the east” who say they saw “his star” (Matthew 2:2). Matthew gives no number and doesn't call them kings; tradition settled on three, probably from the three gifts.

“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem.” Matthew 2:1, WEB

Source: BLB lexicon G3097; Britannica, Magi

FrankincenseMatthew 2:11History

An aromatic gum resin from Boswellia trees, burned as incense and valued in ancient worship. A gift suited to worship.

“Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11, WEB

Source: Britannica, frankincense

MyrrhGreek smyrnaIn the text

A bitter, costly resin used in perfume and in embalming. It appears only twice in the New Testament: at the birth, and at the burial.

“Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes.” John 19:39, WEB

Source: BLB lexicon G4666

Short version: almost every word on a Christmas card is in Luke or Matthew, but the number three, the stable and the kings' crowns are not.

Where these words live in Wayfold

We make Wayfold. It doesn't have a Christmas study (the six study books are Ruth, Jonah, Philippians, James, Habakkuk and Philemon), but the free reader has Luke 2 and Matthew 2, and the map shows every place they name.

“Mom, what's a host?”

A composite scene, not a testimonial

That's the whole idea of a glossary like this: the answer to a seven-year-old's question is usually one sentence and one verse, and the verse is more interesting than the carol.

Who this glossary (and Wayfold) is not for

If you want full word studies with every Greek form, use a lexicon or a commentary; we link the ones we used. If you want a daily Christmas devotional with reflections and prayers, this isn't it, and Wayfold isn't a devotional app either. Wayfold is for reading a chapter closely: what happens, in what order, where, and which words prove it.

How to use this glossary in 3 steps

1. Pick your situation in the chat at the top. You'll get the three words most worth knowing first.
2. Read the verse, not just the meaning. Every entry quotes its verse; reading it in context takes under a minute.
3. Open the chapter. Read Luke 2 or Matthew 2 in full, in the free Wayfold reader or any Bible, and notice the words as they come.

Check yourself: four carol lines, decoded

Tap a line to see which Bible word sits behind it.

• “O come, O come, Emmanuel”
• “Away in a manger”
• “With the angelic host proclaim”
• “We three kings of Orient are”

Honest limits

Lexicon definitions are summaries; scholars discuss several of these words at length, especially “inn.” Wayfold's free tier covers the Ruth and Jonah studies, the complete reader with read-aloud and search, the map with all 64 places, the timeline, 4 of the 10 journeys and 7 of the 63 background lessons. Premium Lifetime is one optional purchase for the rest. One design decision we made: Wayfold never paraphrases Scripture. Verses are quoted word for word and every explanation is labeled.