maypole
/ˈmeɪˌpoʊl/ noun, verb, proper noun
Forms maypoles maypoling maypoled may-pole
- noun A pole, garlanded with streamers held by people who dance around it to celebrate May Day. “How would you like the maypole decorated?”
- noun (idiomatic) A very tall girl or young lady.
- noun (ornithology) A maypole-like structure of sticks placed about a sapling in the bowers of certain species of bowerbird.
- noun (euphemistic) A penis, especially a large one.
- verb To dance or spin in a circle around something.
- proper noun A surname.
- proper noun A settlement on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, off the coast of Cornwall (OS grid ref SV9211).
- proper noun A settlement near the village of Chelsfield, borough of Bromley, Greater London (OS grid ref TQ4963).
- proper noun A village in Dartford borough, Kent (OS grid ref TQ5173).
- proper noun A settlement in Hoath parish, Canterbury district, Kent (OS grid ref TR2064).
- proper noun A settlement in Whitecastle community, Monmouthshire, Wales (OS grid ref SO4716).
Etymology
Compound of May + pole, so called in reference to its use on May Day.
Webster’s 1913
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “maypole”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details