patron saint
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noun
a saint regarded as the special guardian of a person, group, trade, country, etc.
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Origin of patron saint
First recorded in 1710–20
Words nearby patron saint
patronage, patroness, patronize, patronizing, patronne, patron saint, patronym, patronymic, patroon, patsy, pattée
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for patron saint
British Dictionary definitions for patron saint
patron saint
noun
a saint regarded as the particular guardian of a country, church, trade, person, etc
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for patron saint
patron saint
A saint from whom a person or group claims special protection or prayers. Saint Christopher, for example, is considered the patron of travelers; Saint Luke, the patron of doctors; and Saint Patrick, the patron of Ireland. People who have the same name as a saint may consider the saint their patron. The honoring of patron saints is especially common in the Roman Catholic Church.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.