saint

[ seynt ]

noun

1. any of certain persons of exceptional holiness of life, formally recognized as such by the Christian Church, especially by canonization.
2. a person of great holiness, virtue, or benevolence.
3. a founder, sponsor, or patron, as of a movement or organization.
4. (in certain religious groups) a designation applied by the members to themselves.

verb (used with object)

1. to enroll formally among the saints recognized by the Church.
2. to give the name of saint to; reckon as a saint.

saint

/ seɪnt; sənt /

noun

1. a person who after death is formally recognized by a Christian Church, esp the Roman Catholic Church, as having attained, through holy deeds or behaviour, a specially exalted place in heaven and the right to veneration
2. a person of exceptional holiness or goodness
3. plural Bible the collective body of those who are righteous in God's sight

verb

1. tr to canonize; recognize formally as a saint

saint

1. In Christianity , a holy person, living or dead; a person who has been saved ( see salvation ) (see also salvation ). Saint is the French word for “holy.” Many churches reserve the title of saint for persons who have died faithful to their Christian commitment. The Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church require certain procedures before people can be officially named saints; this procedure is called canonization .

Derived Forms

• ˈsaintdom, noun
• ˈsaintlike, adjective
• ˈsaintless, adjective

Other Words From

• saintless adjective
• outsaint verb (used with object)
• super·saint noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of saint¹

before 1000; Middle English (noun and v.) < Old French (noun) < Latin sānctus sacred, adj. use of past participle of sancīre to consecrate, equivalent to sanc- (akin to sacer sacred ) + -tus past participle suffix; replacing Old English sanct < Latin, as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of saint¹

C12: from Old French, from Latin sanctus holy, from sancīre to hallow

Example Sentences

He was taken to Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, where he was given morphine for the pain; he lapsed into a coma and died a few weeks later.

From Los Angeles Times

“Our study completes the work of Albert Einstein in his attempt to relate gravity and electromagnetism forces in the same geometric theory,” Monjo, a professor of mathematics at Saint Louis University in Spain, told Salon.

From Salon

The following year, Kensington Palace emailed the store asking for a 1950s Yves Saint Laurent for Dior dress we loaned to Bella Hadid.

From Los Angeles Times

Having delayed his retirement by a year, Cavendish broke the record for most Tour de France stage wins with victory in Saint Vulbas in July.

From BBC

Having jointly held the record for Tour stage wins with the legendary Eddy Merckx since 2021, Cavendish surpassed the Belgian with victory in Saint Vulbas in July.

From BBC