Phrase guide

secret Santa

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A Christmas tradition where a group of people give anonymous gifts to each other, with each person randomly selected to give a gift to one other person.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The person who buys a present for another in a secret-Santa exchange.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I could tell Mary was my secret Santa.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Kris Kringle

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • German: Wichteln — tradition
  • Hungarian: karácsonyi húzás — tradition
  • Portuguese: amigo secreto — tradition
  • Portuguese: amigo oculto — tradition
  • Spanish: amigo invisible — tradition
  • Spanish: amigo secreto — tradition
  • Spanish: cuchumbo — tradition
  • Ukrainian: тає́мний Са́нта (tajémnyj Sánta) — tradition
  • German: Wichtel — person who buys a present
  • Portuguese: amigo oculto — person who buys a present
  • Portuguese: amigo secreto — person who buys a present
  • Russian: секре́тный Санта (sekrétnyj Santa) — person who buys a present
  • Spanish: amigo invisible — person who buys a present
  • Spanish: amigo secreto — person who buys a present
  • Ukrainian: тає́мний Са́нта (tajémnyj Sánta) — person who buys a present