n. (pl. -ies) 1 (esp. the Nativity) a the birth of Christ. b the festival of Christ's birth; Christmas. 2 a picture of the Nativity. 3 birth. 4 the horoscope at a person's birth. 5 a the birth of the Virgin Mary or St John the Baptist. b the festival of the nativity of the Virgin (8 Sept.) or St John (24 June). nativity play a play usu. performed by children at Christmas dealing with the birth of Christ.
[ ME f. OF nativité f. LL nativitas -tatis f. L (as NATIVE) ]