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
Above all, there was Marvelous Marv Throneberry, the team’s poor patron saint.
—
Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
Named for the patron saint of the internet, St. Isidore aims to become the nation’s first charter school with an explicitly religious curriculum.
—Sarah Mervosh, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Pope Francis was a notable exception, instead choosing his name to honor St. Francis of Assisi, the 13th century cleric now celebrated in the church as the patron saint of animals and the environment.
—Christopher Watson, ABC News, 25 Apr. 2025
The holiday, which began by celebrating the patron saint of Ireland, has come now to be a festive day to celebrate everything Irish.
—Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for patron saint
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.
Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
Named for the patron saint of the internet, St. Isidore aims to become the nation’s first charter school with an explicitly religious curriculum.
—Sarah Mervosh, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Pope Francis was a notable exception, instead choosing his name to honor St. Francis of Assisi, the 13th century cleric now celebrated in the church as the patron saint of animals and the environment.
—Christopher Watson, ABC News, 25 Apr. 2025
The holiday, which began by celebrating the patron saint of Ireland, has come now to be a festive day to celebrate everything Irish.
—Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2025
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 24 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share