ENGLISH
REFERENCE

saint

n. countable
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈseɪnt// UK //sˈeɪnt// saint Archaic

n. a person who is officially recognized by a church for being very holy. You can also use this word to describe someone who is extremely kind or patient.

n. a person formally recognized by a religious body as having attained an exceptional degree of holiness. In secular contexts, it refers to a person of great virtue, patience, or kindness.


SIMPLE

She was a saint for helping everyone in the neighborhood.

CONTEXTUAL

The local church was named after a saint who was famous for his work with the poor.

COMPLEX

While the formal canonization process can take decades, the community had already regarded her as a living saint due to her tireless devotion to the sick.

Synonyms
Origin

From saint.

Usage

Often used as a title before a name, in which case it is capitalized and frequently abbreviated to 'St.'

Idioms1 entry

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