saint

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A deceased person whom a church or another religious group has officially recognised as especially holy or godly; one eminent for piety and virtue.

   The Roman Catholic Church proclaimed Kateri Tekakwitha a saint in 2012.

2. 2
   noun

   One of the blessed in heaven.

   Then ſhall thy Saints unmixt, and from th' impure / Farr ſeparate, circling thy holy Mount / Unfained Halleluiahs to thee ſing,

3. 3
   noun

   A Christian; a faithful believer in the present world.

   Unto the Church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus, called to be Saints, with all that in euery place call vpon the Name of Iesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.

4. 4
   noun

   A person with similarly overwhelming positive qualities; one who does good.

   Dorothy Day was a living saint.

5. 5
   noun

   A holy object.

   It is ruine to a man to deuoure ſaintes, and afterward to retracte the vowes.

6. 6
   verb

   Synonym of canonize: to honor, formally name, or revere as a saint.

   Many Catholics wished to see Pope John Paul II sainted immediately after his death.

7. 7
   noun

   A title given to a saint, often prefixed to the person's name.

   Saint Stephen was the first martyr.

8. 8
   noun

   A Latter-day Saint, a Mormon.

   the Kirtland Saints

Etymology

From Middle English saint, seint, sainct, seinct, sanct, senct, partly from Old English sanct (“saint”) and confluence with Old French saint, seinte (Modern French saint); both from Latin sānctus (“holy, consecrated”, in Late Latin as a noun, “a saint”), past participle of sancīre (“to render sacred, make holy”), akin to sacer (“holy, sacred”). Doublet of Sanctus. Displaced native Middle English halwe (“saint”) from Old English hālga (“saint, holy one”) (> Modern English hallow (“saint”)).