Joan of Arc

American  

[ahrk] / ɑrk /

noun

1. Saint the Maid of Orléans, 1412?–31, French national heroine and martyr who raised the siege of Orléans.

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Joan of Arc British  

noun

1. Saint known as the Maid of Orléans; French name Jeanne d'Arc. ?1412–31, French national heroine, who led the army that relieved Orléans in the Hundred Years' War, enabling Charles VII to be crowned at Reims (1429). After being captured (1430), she was burnt at the stake as a heretic. She was canonized in 1920. Feast day: May 30

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Joan of Arc Cultural  

1. A French military leader of the fifteenth century, a national heroine who at the age of seventeen took up arms to establish the rightful king on the French throne. She claimed to have heard God speak to her in voices. These claims eventually led to her trial for heresy and her execution by burning at the stake. Joan of Arc is a saint of the Roman Catholic Church.

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Example Sentences

Within five years a French resurgence would gather momentum, driven by the intervention of a 17-year-old peasant girl known as Joan of Arc.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026

The singer shared an image of her Joan of Arc inspired skin to her Instagram Story and said: "I got my own fortnite skin!! Out Thursday wowowow".

From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026

“Like, it can’t just be Joan of Arc or cat ladies. There’s gotta be something in between!”

From Salon • Aug. 3, 2025

‘Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints’ will debut in November on the streaming service Fox Nation with episodes about Francis of Assisi, Joan of Arc and others.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2024

If only I could be Joan of Arc, cut off my hair and dress like a boy, just to be on the safe side.

From "Before We Were Free" by Julia Alvarez