patron saint

noun

1
: a saint to whose protection and intercession a person, a society, a church, or a place is dedicated
2
: an original leader or prime exemplar

Examples of patron saint in a Sentence

St. David is the patron saint of Wales. St. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers. The success of her books has made her the patron saint of a new literary movement.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Aside from Carnival, every locality on the island has its own festa dedicated to the patron saint of the town. AFAR Media, 28 Aug. 2025 Meanwhile, winding alleys lead past plaques of Saint Catalina Thomàs—Mallorca’s patron saint—born in the village in 1533. Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025 She is considered a patron saint of France. Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2025 For a man lacking in prospects and acquainted with failure, meeting the patron saint of self-fashioning must have felt like divine revelation. Matthew Redmond august 13, Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for patron saint

Word History

First Known Use

1703, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of patron saint was in 1703

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Cite this Entry

“Patron saint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patron%20saint. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

patron saint

noun
: a saint to whom a person, society, church, or place is dedicated

More from Merriam-Webster on patron saint

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