patron saint

noun

Definition of patron saint

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

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about patron saint

Keep scrolling for more

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

Unlike Ophelia, the patron saint of moribund allure, the women who cloak themselves in these baleful blooms will not be tragic characters. — Steff Yotka, Vogue, "The 7 Biggest Trends of the Fall 2019 Season," 12 Mar. 2019 Denmark has a patron saint of design and his name is Georg Jensen. — Brooke Bobb, Vogue, "This 100-Year-Old Copenhagen Label Has Teamed Up With the City’s Coolest Jewelry Designer," 14 Aug. 2018 Across town, a brass band led celebrations Tuesday honoring the patron saint of miners . — Frank Jordans, The Seattle Times, "Climate talks shift to nitty-gritty details of Paris accord," 5 Dec. 2018 And for her latest visual trick, the model continued her referential twinning streak by channeling one of her favorite patron saints, supermodel Carla Bruni, on the first night of New York Fashion Week. — Calin Van Paris, Vogue, "Bella Hadid Has a Carla Bruni Doppelganger Moment (Again!) and It's Worth a Double Take," 6 Sep. 2018 If design is Helsinki’s national religion, Alvar Aalto is its patron saint: There’s scarcely a public building or neighborhood restaurant that doesn’t pay homage to him in some way. — Erin Florio, Condé Nast Traveler, "Why Helsinki Should Be Your Next City Break in Europe," 2 Sep. 2018 Built in 1665, the church features 17th-century murals of Saint Dévote, the patron saint of the Principality, and gilded pillars. — Elise Taylor, Vogue, "How Monaco’s Royal Family Spent Christmas This Year," 4 Jan. 2019 Nick Jonas, the patron saint of six-packs, may or may not be engaged to Quantico actress and overall queen Priyanka Chopra. — Christopher Rosa, Glamour, "Did Nick Jonas Just Confirm His Engagement to Priyanka Chopra?," 9 Aug. 2018 Hidden away in the space’s loft, hundreds of seemingly millennial women had skipped out of work and put on their 90s best to watch the club’s most recent patron saint, Fran Drescher, give a talk. — Samantha Leach, Glamour, "Fran Drescher Was Always Ahead of Her Time," 30 Aug. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'patron saint.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.