saint

American  

[seynt] / seɪnt /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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verb

1. (tr) to canonize; recognize formally as a saint

saint Cultural  

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.

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Other Word Forms

• outsaint verb (used with object)
• saintdom noun
• saintless adjective
• saintlike adjective
• supersaint noun

Etymology

Origin of saint

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

Example Sentences

Pope Leo belongs to the Augustinian order of priests, named for the great saint from Roman Africa who is the father of the just-war tradition.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026

An image of the Catholic saint San Judas Tadeo on the floor of a building in the Cabañas La Loma complex in Tapalpa.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2026

Wales celebrates its patron saint every year on 1 March.

From BBC • Mar. 1, 2026

His single mother is a saint who raised him and his sister despite financial and emotional hardships.

From Slate • Feb. 25, 2026

Then he added, “People call me a saint, and I think I have to work harder. Because a saint would be a great thing to be.”

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French