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.
Prometheus is often seen as the patron saint of innovative risk, but there are some parts of the myth that the tech bros are overlooking. James Folta, Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025 D’Angelo could become a patron saint for this ethos. Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 18 Oct. 2025 The city’s musical patron saint, Leonard Cohen, along with Arcade Fire, Alison Russell, Grimes, Godspeed You! Jem Aswad, Variety, 16 Oct. 2025 He was known as the patron saint of animals — and his tomb in Assisi became a major pilgrimage site during the Middle Ages. Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 7 Oct. 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 24 Oct. 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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