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
The Ceremony of the Sainte-Devote, which Princess Charlene attended alongside her husband Prince Albert II, commemorates Sainte Devote, who is the patron saint of the Principality of Monaco and France’s Mediterranean Corsica island.
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Julia Teti, Footwear News, 27 Jan. 2026
The former is named for the patron saint of cooks and celebrates coastal Italian fare with a New Orleans tweak, to wit Chef Laura Collins’ Grilled Creole Oysters and Scampi Risotto.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Jan. 2026
Today, Thecla is the patron saint of the city of Tarragona, Spain, where the cathedral is named after her and images of Thecla decorate the altarpiece.
—Christy Cobb, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2026
The same guy once celebrated by the likes of Bill Hancock, patron saint of all that’s good about college athletics, for championing the trusty, musty two-team field is on record this week that a 12-team playoff works so well that 16 might not be so bad after all.
—Kevin Sherrington, Dallas Morning News, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for patron saint
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Julia Teti, Footwear News, 27 Jan. 2026
The former is named for the patron saint of cooks and celebrates coastal Italian fare with a New Orleans tweak, to wit Chef Laura Collins’ Grilled Creole Oysters and Scampi Risotto.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Jan. 2026
Today, Thecla is the patron saint of the city of Tarragona, Spain, where the cathedral is named after her and images of Thecla decorate the altarpiece.
—Christy Cobb, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2026
The same guy once celebrated by the likes of Bill Hancock, patron saint of all that’s good about college athletics, for championing the trusty, musty two-team field is on record this week that a 12-team playoff works so well that 16 might not be so bad after all.
—Kevin Sherrington, Dallas Morning News, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for patron saint
Cite this Entry
“Patron saint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patron%20saint. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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