saintly

American  

[seynt-lee] / ˈseɪnt li /

adjective

saintlier, saintliest

1. pertaining to, like, or befitting a saint.

   saintly lives.

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saintly British  

/ ˈseɪntlɪ /

adjective

1. like, relating to, or suitable for a saint

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Other Word Forms

• hypersaintly adjective
• quasi-saintly adjective
• saintlily adverb
• saintliness noun
• supersaintly adjective
• unsaintly adjective

Etymology

Origin of saintly

First recorded in 1650–60; saint + -ly

Explanation

If someone is saintly, they're so perfect that they're almost too good to be true. A truly saintly person spends her life helping others. Saintly people are extremely kind and virtuous, modeling themselves after actual saints, people who are canonized by the Catholic church after death and are believed to be in heaven. You can also use this adjective to describe things that have to do with saints, like a saintly painting or a saintly relic. Both saintly and saint are rooted in the Latin sanctus, "holy or consecrated."

Example Sentences

With saintly calm, the too-good-for-him Dr. Barrett packs her things and returns to her peaceful castle.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026

The Independent notes that he was seen as a "saintly" and "ecclesiastical" figure on Fleet Street.

From BBC • Dec. 1, 2025

“The way her hijab haloed Nour’s head” gives her a saintly presence, “or so Jimmy thought.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

This disciplined capital allocation — returning all free cash flow to shareholders via dividends and buybacks — makes it practically saintly.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 9, 2025

Nailer waited, hoping for some mention of the saintly Captain Sung.

From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi

Related Words

• angelic
• pious
• upstanding