nativity
noun
na·tiv·i·ty
nə-ˈti-və-tē 
nā-
plural nativities
1
: the process or circumstances of being born : birth
especially,
Nativity
: the birth of Jesus
2
: a horoscope at or of the time of one's birth
3
: the place of origin
Did you know?
Nativity is one of many words born of the Latin verb nāscī, which means “to be born.” The gestation of the word was a long one. Nāscī developed in Late Latin into nativitas, meaning “birth,” which passed through Anglo-French as nativité before entering English in the 14th century. Nativity has many siblings and cousins in our language; other terms of the lineage of nāscī include nature, innate, nascent, native, and renaissance.
Examples of nativity in a Sentence
my father and grandparents were proud observers of my nativity
Recent Examples on the Web
Among these is the market in Brunico/Bruneck, with 30-odd stalls, live music Wednesday–Saturday, and a nativity parade along the Stadtgasse (main street) on December 21.
—
Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 27 Oct. 2025
The holiday decor scene is saturated—nutcrackers, gingerbread houses, bow garlands, wreaths, strings of snowflakes, glittery pinecones, and that nativity scene that’s been passed down for generations.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2025
The White House staff had been packing up a nativity scene from the holiday decorations and hadn’t been able to locate the figure of Joseph.
—Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
However, the drop-off could also be attributed to people refusing to answer surveys or not indicating their nativity status, economists note.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nativity
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.
Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 27 Oct. 2025
The holiday decor scene is saturated—nutcrackers, gingerbread houses, bow garlands, wreaths, strings of snowflakes, glittery pinecones, and that nativity scene that’s been passed down for generations.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2025
The White House staff had been packing up a nativity scene from the holiday decorations and hadn’t been able to locate the figure of Joseph.
—Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
However, the drop-off could also be attributed to people refusing to answer surveys or not indicating their nativity status, economists note.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nativity
Cite this Entry
“Nativity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nativity. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nativity
noun
na·tiv·i·ty
nə-ˈtiv-ət-ē
nā-
plural nativities
1
capitalized
: the birth of Jesus
2
: the time, place, or manner of being born : birth
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share