saint

saint — noun

1. a person who the Christian Church officially recognizes as having lived an excep

1.nounB2
Definition

a person who the Christian Church officially recognizes as having lived an exceptionally holy life, and who is therefore believed to be in heaven and able to help people on earth

Example

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, celebrated every year on March 17.

title St. + name; patron saint + of + place

The Vatican officially declared Mother Teresa a saint in 2016 after confirming two miracles.

declare + [person] + a saint

Common collocations
  • patron saint
  • feast day
  • canonize a saint
  • saint's relics
  • St. (name)
  • declare someone a saint
Synonyms
  • holy person

    general term without the official church recognition

  • martyr

    a person who dies for their faith, sometimes but not always declared a saint

  • patron saint

    a saint believed to protect a particular place, group, or activity

Antonyms
  • sinner

    a person who does wrong or immoral things

Grammar Patterns

St. + [name]

the saint of [place/group]

[name] is a saint

Usage Note

When used as a title before a name, write 'St.' (abbreviation) or 'Saint' (full form) with a capital letter — for example, St. Peter or Saint Francis.

Common Mistakes

Mother Teresa was saint in 2016.
Mother Teresa was made a saint in 2016.
'to be a saint' describes a state; 'to be made a saint' or 'to be declared a saint' describes the official act.
She prayed to saint Patrick.
She prayed to St. Patrick.
When used as a title before a name, it must be capitalized and often abbreviated as St.

2. a very patient, generous, or helpful person, especially someone who tolerates a

2.nounB1
Definition

a very patient, generous, or helpful person, especially someone who tolerates a difficult situation without complaining

Example

Ramón's aunt is a real saint — she raised three children while working full-time and never complained.

be a real saint (emphatic informal usage)

You are an absolute saint for driving me to the airport at five in the morning.

absolute saint (colloquial intensifier)

Common collocations
  • real saint
  • absolute saint
  • no saint
  • patience of a saint
  • saint of a [person]
Synonyms
  • angel

    also informal; emphasizes kindness and helpfulness more than patience

  • darling

    affectionate term; less about moral goodness and more about being lovable

  • gem

    informal British English; emphasizes someone rare and valuable

Antonyms
  • devil

    informal; describes someone who is mean or difficult

  • monster

    stronger negative; describes a cruel or evil person

Grammar Patterns

be a saint

nobody's saint / no saint

have the patience of a saint

Usage Note

This sense is strongly informal and often used in everyday speech. The fixed phrase 'no saint' means someone has faults, while 'a saint' emphasizes someone's kindness or tolerance. 'Have the patience of a saint' is a common collocation meaning enormous patience.

Common Mistakes

He is a St.' (meaning a kind person).
He is a saint.
The capitalized 'St.' is only used as a title before a name in the religious sense; for the figurative meaning, use lowercase 'saint'.
She became a saint after helping me.
She was a saint for helping me.
This sense does not describe an official process; use 'be a saint' or 'act like a saint', not 'become a saint'.

saint — verb

Word family

  • saintly
    adjectiveB2
  • sainthood
    nounC1
  • saintliness
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All three words can describe a kind or helpful person in informal English, but they highlight different qualities. 'Saint' emphasizes patience and moral goodness — it suggests someone who tolerates difficulty or self-sacrifice without complaint. 'Angel' focuses on kindness and thoughtfulness, especially in doing small favours; it sounds warmer and more affectionate. 'Darling' is a term of endearment that stresses how lovable someone is rather than their moral character. 'Gem' (chiefly British) compares someone to a rare, precious stone and is used when someone is unusually helpful or reliable. Example: 'She's a saint for putting up with his constant lateness' (patience). 'She's an angel for bringing me soup when I was sick' (kindness). 'She's a real gem for finishing the paperwork on time' (reliability).

angel ↗darling ↗gem ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • patron saint
  • saint's day
  • saint's relic
  • feast day

Phrases

  • patience of a saint
  • be a saint
  • no saint
  • real saint
  • absolute saint

Prepositions

  • saint of (a place/group)
  • saint to (someone)

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'saint' comes from Latin 'sanctus', meaning 'holy' or 'consecrated to God'. This passed into Old French as 'saint', 'seint', or 'saint', and then into Middle English around the 12th century. The verb form (meaning 'to canonize') appeared later, in the 14th century, based on the same root.