holly

The word “holly” means a prickly-leaved evergreen shrub or small tree with bright red berries, often used as Christmas decoration. In plain terms, the spiky-leaved plant with red berries you see in Christmas decorations and wreaths.

“Holly” is pronounced HO-lee (/ˈhɑli/ in IPA).

Here is “holly” used in a sentence: “They hung sprigs of holly over the fireplace for the holidays.”

“Holly” is a noun.

The word “holly” comes from Old English. From Old English holen/holeġn, an old Germanic word for the same prickly evergreen plant.

“Holly” is a fairly common word in modern English.

Holly is a prickly-leaved evergreen shrub or small tree with bright red berries, while ivy is a climbing or trailing evergreen plant with lobed leaves and no showy red berries. The two are traditionally paired as Christmas greenery, as in the carol "The Holly and the Ivy."

Both are evergreen plants linked to Christmas, but holly is a prickly-leaved shrub with bright red berries, whereas mistletoe grows on tree branches and bears white berries. Holly is used as decoration, while mistletoe is associated with the custom of kissing beneath it.

Holly is widely used as a Christmas decoration because it stays green through winter and produces bright red berries during the festive season. Its evergreen leaves and red berries have made it a traditional symbol of the holidays.

Both are popular Christmas plants, but holly is a prickly-leaved evergreen shrub with bright red berries, while a poinsettia is grown for its large red upper leaves, which are often mistaken for petals. Holly is usually used as cut greenery, whereas poinsettias are displayed as whole potted plants.