st

st — noun

1. a written form of the word "saint" that comes before a person's name in the Chri

1.nounB1
Definition

a written form of the word "saint" that comes before a person's name in the Christian tradition — you see it in church names, place names, and references to holy figures.

Example

St Christopher is the patron saint of travelers.

St before a saint's name

The gold mosaics inside St Mark's Basilica are famous around the world.

Common collocations
  • St + [name]
  • St [name]'s

Grammar Patterns

St + [name]

Usage Note

Always written with a capital S and a capital T when it stands for "Saint." The full name of the saint always follows immediately after St.

Common Mistakes

❗ 'I visited saint Peter's Basilica.' ✅ 'I visited St Peter's' — Use the abbreviation St before a saint's name, not the full word "saint."

❗ 'The church of saint Peter is old.' ✅ 'The church of St Peter is old.' — St is the normal written abbreviation before a saint's name.

2. a short written form of the word "street," used in addresses, on maps, and on st

2.nounA2
Definition

a short written form of the word "street," used in addresses, on maps, and on street signs to show a road where people live or work.

Example

The new café is at 27 Baker St, just past the post office.

St after the street name in addresses

Shanti lives on Park St near the public library.

Common collocations
  • [name] St
  • Main St
  • High St
Synonyms
  • Rd

    Rd (Road) is another street-type abbreviation; Rd usually connects between towns or areas, while St is inside a town.

  • Ave

    Ave (Avenue) often refers to a wide street, often with trees on both sides.

  • Ln

    Ln (Lane) is a narrow street, often quieter than a main St.

Grammar Patterns

[street name] + St

Usage Note

Always capitalized in addresses. Unlike the Saint abbreviation, St for "Street" comes after the name of the road (e.g., Oxford St), not before it. In British English the period is often omitted; in American English a period may be used (St.).

Common Mistakes

❗ 'I live on St Baker.' ✅ 'I live on Baker St.' — For street names, St comes after the name, not before it.

❗ 'I live at Baker St.' ✅ 'I live on Baker St.' — Use "on" for street names, and "at" for a full address with a number.

3. a short written form of the word "stone," a British unit for measuring a person'

3.nounB2
Definition

a short written form of the word "stone," a British unit for measuring a person's body weight — one stone equals fourteen pounds, or roughly 6.35 kilograms.

Example

The doctor noted that his weight was 12 st 6 lb.

st + lb for stone and pounds

Baby weight in UK hospitals is still recorded in st and lb.

Common collocations
  • [number] st
  • st lb
  • weigh [number] st
Synonyms
  • lb

    lb (pound) is a smaller unit; one stone equals 14 lb.

  • kg

    kg (kilogram) is the international standard unit; one stone is about 6.35 kg.

Grammar Patterns

[number] + st

[number] st [number] lb

Usage Note

This abbreviation is almost exclusively British. Outside the UK and Ireland, people are unlikely to understand it. The plural is also "st" (not "sts"): she weighs 9 st. Usually written in lowercase.

Common Mistakes

❗ 'He weighs 12 sts.' ✅ 'He weighs 12 st.' — The abbreviation does not change in the plural.

❗ 'She lost three st of potatoes.' ✅ 'She lost three stone of potatoes.' — The stone unit is now used mainly for body weight, not for food or goods.

st — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

St (Street), Rd (Road), Ave (Avenue), Ln (Lane), and Dr (Drive) are all common address abbreviations in English-speaking countries, but they describe different types of roads. A Street (St) usually runs inside a town or city, often with shops and buildings on both sides. A Road (Rd) can connect towns or run through rural areas. An Avenue (Ave) is typically a wider street, sometimes lined with trees. A Lane (Ln) is narrower and quieter, often found in residential areas. A Drive (Dr) is a long, winding road, often through scenic areas. For example, you might live on "Oxford St" in the city centre, take "Mill Rd" to the next village, and walk down "Elm Ln" to reach your friend's house. Knowing these differences helps when giving or reading addresses in English.

St ↗RdAveLnDr

Common collocations

Nouns

  • St name
  • St address

Phrases

  • [number] + St + [name]
  • st and lb

Prepositions

  • on + St
  • at + [number] St

Etymology

LatinOld EnglishFrenchEnglish

The abbreviation St for "Saint" comes from the Latin word "sanctus," meaning "holy," and entered English through French and church usage. The abbreviation St for "Street" traces back to the Latin "strāta" (paved road), which became Old English "strǣt" and later "street." The abbreviation st for "stone" (the weight unit) comes from Old English "stān," originally referring to a stone used as a weight standard. The verb suffix -'st is a contracted form of the Old English second-person singular present indicative ending -est.