saint

noun \ ˈsānt , before a name (ˌ)sānt or sənt \

|Updated on: 3 Aug 2018

Examples: saint in a Sentence

Definition of saint

1 : one officially recognized especially through canonization as preeminent for holiness

2 a : one of the spirits of the departed in heaven

b : angel 1a

3 a : one of God's chosen and usually Christian people

b capitalized : a member of any of various Christian bodies; specifically : latter-day saint

4 : one eminent for piety or virtue

5 : an illustrious predecessor

—

saintdom

play \ˈsānt-dəm\ noun

—

saintlike

play \ˈsānt-ˌlīk\ adjective

See saint defined for English-language learners

See saint defined for kids

Examples of saint in a Sentence

He was declared a saint in the fifth century.
The salesperson was a saint for putting up with them.

Recent Examples of saint from the Web

His Catholicism was simpler, more Nicaraguan, and of the old hierarchical style the people loved: vestments, incense, prayers to the saints, spiritual instruction.

— The Economist, "Obituary: Cardinal Miguel Obando y Bravo, the first cardinal from Central America," 23 June 2018
In in an attempt to find a remedy for love troubles, the duo offers to light up a candle for the saints in a quasi-psychedelic video that evokes mysticism and folklore.

— billboard staff, Billboard, "Viva Friday: All the Best New Latin Songs and Albums You Should Add to Your Playlist," 18 May 2018
Kidder played a human woman who could believably both attract and deserve a man who is canonically perfect, with the physique of a Greek god and the moral compass of a saint.

— sonia saraiya, HWD, "Why Margot Kidder Was the Definitive Lois Lane," 14 May 2018
The Sufis’ love of saints, music, and tolerance was too much for the extremist Taliban regime, and so the movement was driven underground in the late ’90s.

— maija liuhto, Longreads, "A Music So Beautiful the Birds Fell from the Trees," 28 June 2018
Some homeowners have hammer-and-picked out bookshelves right into their sandstone walls, and a local underground church, pictured, has intricate carved portraits of the saints.

— ken jennings, Condé Nast Traveler, "Inside Coober Pedy, Australia's Underground Town," 14 May 2018
Those classic images are accompanied by an array of santos, figures of saints.

— susan dunne, courant.com, "'Fragile Handle With Care': The Two Sides Of Puerto Rico At Mattatuck," 12 May 2018
The artist has been painting the creatures since the late '70s in his portraits of saints of the new world.

— devin alessio, ELLE Decor, "Kris Jenner Called It: Bunnies Are Going To Be Everywhere This Summer," 14 June 2016
In church, teaching from the Bible, Mr. Jimmy becomes to his followers the purest distillation, then, of some post-presidency ideal, some secular saint.

— michael paterniti, GQ, "Jimmy Carter for Higher Office," 26 June 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of saint

Middle English, from Anglo-French seint, saint, from Late Latin sanctus, from Latin, sacred, from past participle of sancire to make sacred — more at sacred

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

Other Christian Religious Terms

Pentateuch, blasphemy, curate, doxology, eremite, iconoclasm, liturgy, orison, pneuma, reliquary

saint

verb \ ˈsānt \

Definition of saint

sainted; sainting; saints

transitive verb

: to recognize or designate as a saint; specifically : canonize

Recent Examples of saint from the Web

In 2000, Nicholas, his wife, and children were sainted by the Russian Orthodox church.

— nancy bilyeau, Town & Country, "Will the Real Anastasia Romanov Please Stand Up?," 25 Apr. 2017
Feed My Starving Children is to be sainted for its work — people working to feed people.

— sainted & tainted writers, Twin Cities, "Sainted: Christian, Muslim, Jewish … people working to feed people," 17 June 2017
MOUNT SAINT MARY’S UNIVERSITY, Los Angeles Jocelin Mata, Santa Ana High School Major: nursing, $ Why this school?

— heide janssen, Orange County Register, "Where are 2017 Orange County dance students going to college?," 15 June 2017
The average number of carries in a season for a lead Saints back is roughly half (175) the total Peterson was used to getting in Minnesota.

— jeff duncan, NOLA.com, "1,500 yards? 10 TDs? Adrian Peterson's 'incentives' are a joke," 19 May 2017

First Known Use of saint

13th century

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Other Christian Religious Terms

Pentateuch, blasphemy, curate, doxology, eremite, iconoclasm, liturgy, orison, pneuma, reliquary

SAINT Defined for English Language Learners

saint

noun

Definition of saint for English Language Learners

: a person who is officially recognized by the Christian church as being very holy because of the way he or she lived
: a person who is very good, kind, or patient