patron saint
noun
a saint regarded as the special guardian of a person, group, trade, country, etc.
patron saints
-
pluralof patron saint.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On the four pendentives supporting the dome, the artist has depicted four patron saints of Parma: John the Baptist, Hilary, Bernard of the Uberti, and probably Thomas the Apostle.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 9, 2026
Tatulli still finds some of that in his gigs with a marching band for the popular feasts of patron saints — whose celebrations are crucial to fellow band member Federico Ferri.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 4, 2023
Director Guillermo del Toro called him "one of the patron saints of all misfitted, weird, maladjusted, wonderful, miraculous oddities".
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2023
The eight-year papacy of Benedict, a widely respected theologian whose papal name stems from one of the patron saints of Europe, was embattled by scandals that ultimately led him to step down.
From New York Times ● Jan. 5, 2023
Here it is distinctly stated that a Guild of Shoemakers gave the window, and that Crispinus and Crispinianus the patron saints of shoemakers, were there represented.
From A History of Horncastle from the earliest period to the present time by Walter, James Conway
