nativity scene
9
3.9
- noun
- /nəˈtɪvɪti sin/
:
portal de Belén
- Noting the practices of "hundreds of towns or cities across the nation," Burger found that the display of the nativity scene, rather than being an effort at a religious statement, "engenders a friendly community spirit of goodwill in keeping with the season."
- Christmas nativity scene
- display of a nativity scene
So there was like this camel that they had hired to build a nativity scene in Kansas.
- So there was like this camel that they had hired to build a nativity scene in Kansas.
- In Catalonia nativity scenes, they have something called the Caganer CAGANER and it's a defecating man.
Examples
-
He was in Mary's arms in the nativity scene at St. Michael's.
-
What, a nativity scene with baby Jesus?
-
Public structures and commercial ones are usually decorated with lights and sometimes with Christmas trees and nativity scenes.
Academic text (1990) -
During this spectacular performance, there will be a live nativity scene to bring the true meaning of Christmas to life.
Blog text (13) -
At the church, with the help of the groundskeeper, Hamilton once again established the Holy Family at the Nativity scene on the front lawn.
Fiction book (1998) -
The nativity scene is narrated by a celebrity, and those celebrities vary by night.
Blog text (3) -
The small white house at night again, this time brightly decorated with flashing multicolored lights and a plastic Nativity scene in its snow-dusted front yard.
Fiction book (1998) -
Every December, our family sets up a beautiful nativity scene in the living room to celebrate Christmas.
-
The church displayed a large nativity scene outside, featuring hand-painted figures of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
-
During the holiday season, many people create their own nativity scenes using different materials and styles.
Synonyms
1
8.1
A model showing Jesus's birth in a stable at Christmas
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a scene representing the birth of Jesus' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'nativity' (the birth of Jesus) with 'scene' (a depiction or tableau). This compositional noun+noun pattern is straightforward and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should understand the MWE.
Etymology
The phrase nativity scene comes from nativity meaning the 'birth of Jesus' and scene meaning a small setting. People long ago made little models showing baby Jesus in a stable with Mary, Joseph, shepherds and animals, and that's why nativity scene today means a model or display put out at 'Christmas'.