saintly
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of saintly
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
If Mariam is the film’s heartbreaking figure, Abbass brings complexity to the character, never letting her be a saintly victim.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
No saintly voice told me what to do next.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Everyone at Celtic is reluctant to compare any mere mortal to Henrik Larsson, a saintly figure of the club's past.
From BBC ● May 23, 2026
With saintly calm, the too-good-for-him Dr. Barrett packs her things and returns to her peaceful castle.
From Salon ● Mar. 8, 2026
I wanted to hone myself on it till I grew saintly and thin and essential as the blade of a knife.
From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath
They care about telling themselves that their profession is saintlier than it is, and they’re superior to the reformed liar who wants to work with them.
From Slate ● Jan. 28, 2014
Nothing could be whiter; nothing could be purer; nothing could be saintlier of aspect.
From What Is Man? and Other Essays by Mark Twain
No one of the bishops or abbots would stir out for their detected dead fellow, but “to desert him in his last need” was impossible to his saintlier brother.
From Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln A Short Story of One of the Makers of Mediaeval England by Charles L. (Charles Latimer) Marson
Yea, verily am I! a follower of the saintly Ludovick Muggleton, and of the saintlier John Reeve, of whom Ludovick is but the mouthpiece, even as Aaron was of Moses.
From Prisoners of Hope A Tale of Colonial Virginia by Mary Johnston
A saintlier pastor than the Reverend Mr. Goodman, D.D., few congregations possessed; but only those members of his audience who were of like age with himself thought him a good preacher.
From Bert Lloyd's Boyhood A Story from Nova Scotia by Joseph Finnemore
Yet, before turning the relic over to the police, Brand said he was on his saintliest behavior.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 21, 2022
Moreover, in all but the saintliest circles, forgiveness may be a luxury that depends upon a certain surrounding stability.
From Time Magazine Archive
Were it nothing else, the pains he spent on the growth of the life of grace in his own soul,—that would have canonised him among the saintliest of those saintly men.
From Samuel Rutherford and some of his correspondents by Alexander Whyte
Best loved and saintliest of our singing train, Earth's noblest tributes to thy name belong.
From Selections from American poetry, with special reference to Poe, Longfellow, Lowell and Whittier by Margaret Spraque Carhart
Seeing this did more for Jo than the wisest sermons, the saintliest hymns, the most fervent prayers that any voice could utter.
From Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
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