Kriss Kringle
1
5.0
- noun
- /ˈkrɪs ˈkrɪŋɡəl/
:
Kriss Kringle
- Children eagerly await the arrival of Kriss Kringle on Christmas Eve.
Examples
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Giving Kriss Kringle a parking ticket on Christmas Eve!
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In the mall, a festive man dressed as Kriss Kringle greeted the children with a smile.
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Every year, my family tells stories about Kriss Kringle and the magic of Christmas.
Synonyms
742
1.0
A jolly old man who brings presents to children on Christmas Eve
11
1.0
A friendly old man in red who brings gifts to children at Christmas
8
2.0
An imaginary man who brings presents to children at Christmas
4
3.4
A kind man in stories who brings presents to children at Christmas
3
3.6
A man in stories who brings gifts to children at Christmas
Surface Forms
Morphology
Kriss + Kringle
Both elements 'Kriss' and 'Kringle' are name-like forms without independent lexical meanings, so the compound is a proper name for Santa Claus rather than a compositional phrase. A B1 learner who knows the constituent strings but not the cultural reference would not be able to derive the meaning, which requires conventional/cultural knowledge.
Etymology
Kriss Kringle may come from the old German name 'Christkind', which means 'Christ child'. Over time English speakers changed the sound to Kriss Kringle, and the name became another way to say the gift-bringer 'Santa Claus'.