saint

saint
saint (n.) early 12c., from O.Fr. seinte, altering O.E. sanct, both from L. sanctus "holy, consecrated" (used as a noun in L.L.), prop. pp. of sancire "consecrate" (see SACRED (Cf. sacred)). Adopted into most Germanic languages (Cf. O.Fris. sankt, Du. sint, Ger. Sanct). Originally an adj. prefixed to the name of a canonized person; by c.1300 it came to be regarded as a noun.
Saint, n. A dead sinner revised and edited. The Duchess of Orleans relates that the irreverent old calumniator, Marshal Villeroi, who in his youth had known St. Francis de Sales, said, on hearing him called saint: 'I am delighted to hear that Monsieur de Sales is a saint. He was fond of saying indelicate things, and used to cheat at cards. In other respects he was a perfect gentleman, though a fool.' [Ambrose Bierce, "Devil's Dictionary," 1911]
Meaning "person of extraordinary holiness" is recorded from 1563. The verb meaning "to enroll (someone) among the saints" is attested from late 14c. Applied widely to living things, diseases, objects and phenomena, e.g. Saint Bernard, the breed of mastiff dogs (1839), so called because they were used by the monks of the hospice of the pass of St. Bernard (between Italy and Switzerland) to rescue snowbound travelers; St. Elmo's Fire "corposant" (1560s) is from It. fuoco di Sant'Elmo, named for the patron saint of Mediterranean sailors, a corruption of the name of St. Erasmus, an Italian bishop martyred in 303.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • saint — saint, sainte [ sɛ̃, sɛ̃t ] adj. et n. • XIe; sancz fin Xe; lat. sanctus « consacré, vénéré » I ♦ Adj. A ♦ (Personnes) 1 ♦ (S emploie devant le nom d un saint, d une …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • saint — saint, ainte (sin, sin t ) adj. 1°   Qui appartient à la religion, qui est dédié à des usages sacrés (sens le plus voisin du sens étymologique, le mot étant le participe de sancire, consacrer). La sainte messe. Les églises sont des lieux saints.… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • Saint — (s[=a]nt), n. [F., fr. L. sanctus sacred, properly p. p. of sancire to render sacred by a religious act, to appoint as sacred; akin to sacer sacred. Cf. {Sacred}, {Sanctity}, {Sanctum}, {Sanctus}.] 1. A person sanctified; a holy or godly person;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • saint — SAINT. [s]ainte. adj. Quelques uns escrivent encore sainct. Essentiellement pur, souverainement parfait. Il ne se dit en ce sens que de Dieu, La sainte Trinité. le saint Esprit. Il se dit aussi, Des creatures les plus parfaites, & des esprits… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

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