Word
saintly
Phoneticssaint·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈseɪntɫi/
UK/sˈeɪntli/
Definition
adj. describing someone who is very good, kind, and patient. It is often used to talk about people who seem almost perfect in their behavior.
adj. resembling or befitting a saint in character or appearance. Often used to describe individuals who exhibit exceptional patience, virtue, or self-sacrifice.
Examples
“She has a saintly patience with the children.”
“The nurse was remembered for her saintly devotion to the patients during the long winter crisis.”
“While his public image was one of saintly altruism, his private journals revealed a man deeply conflicted by the very fame his charity had produced.”
Examples
simple
“She has a saintly patience with the children.”
contextual
“The nurse was remembered for her saintly devotion to the patients during the long winter crisis.”
complex
“While his public image was one of saintly altruism, his private journals revealed a man deeply conflicted by the very fame his charity had produced.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “saintly” in context.
Verb
01. cultivate saintly
“The monks spent years trying to cultivate a saintly character through meditation.”
verb + adj
02. possess saintly
“Few people possess the saintly qualities required for such demanding charity work.”
verb + adj
03. saintly appear
“Her saintly demeanor appeared genuine to everyone who met her.”
adj + verb
Adjective
04. almost saintly
“He possessed an almost saintly patience when dealing with difficult students.”
adv + adj
05. truly saintly
“She was a truly saintly woman who dedicated her entire life to the poor.”
adv + adj
Noun
06. saintly figure
“In the local community, the doctor was regarded as a saintly figure.”
adj + noun
07. saintly patience
“It takes saintly patience to care for three toddlers all day long.”
adj + noun
08. saintly virtue
“The biography highlights his saintly virtue and lack of personal ambition.”
adj + noun
09. border on the saintly
“His levels of self-sacrifice often border on the saintly.”
10. display saintly devotion to
“She displayed saintly devotion to her elderly parents for over a decade.”
11. reputation for saintly behavior
“The nurse earned a reputation for saintly behavior during the epidemic.”
Usage
Typically used as an attributive adjective before a noun or predicatively after a linking verb like 'seem' or 'be'.
Real-World Examples
“Vieira de Mello, an unwavering idealist whose humanitarian contributions earned him renown in international diplomatic circles, risks coming across as almost saintly.” “And while occasionally monstrous, they're more often saintly, a quality that Hollywood, which is short on saints, confuses with sappy.” “The widely held perception of Anton Chekhov portrays him as a saintly figure: regarded as the most amiable and accessible among the eminent Russian authors, he seems to lack the inflated ego of Tolstoy and the inner turmoil of Dostoyevsky.” “To many residents of Florence, he is seen as a saintly leader, while others perceive him as both saintly and somewhat sinister.” Etymology
From Middle English *saintli (suggested by seyntly (adverb)), equivalent to saint + -ly. Compare saintlike.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/saintly