saint
gb/sˈeɪnt/ us/sˈeɪnt/
B1
English
~ 2100
szent, angyal, szentté avat, kanonizál
NOUN
B1
1
szent
B1
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a saint
Mother Teresa was declared a saint by the Catholic Church in 2016.
Teréz anyát 2016-ban szentté avatta a katolikus egyház.
Saint Francis of Assisi is known for his love of animals.
Assisi Szent Ferenc az állatok iránti szeretetéről ismert.
The church holds a special mass on the feast day of the saint.
Learner examples
Mother Teresa is a saint.
Teréz anya szent.
Saint Peter is important in the Bible.
Szent Péter fontos alak a Bibliában.
The church talks about saints.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'saint' with 'angel'; an angel is a spiritual being, not a human recognized for holiness.
Meaning
Person declared holy by church
Collocations
patron saint
|canonized saint
|saint's day
|life of a saint
Synonyms
holy person (General term for someone considered spiritually pure; not limited to official church recognition.)
Antonyms
sinner (Refers to someone who does wrong according to religious rules, opposite of a saint.)
Themes
religion
|history
Definition
A person the Christian church says is holy and good, often after they die.
A person formally recognized by a Christian church as having lived a life of exceptional holiness and virtue, often canonized after death.
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
2
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a saint for [doing something]
You're a saint for helping me move all my furniture.
Kész szent vagy, hogy segítesz elköltöztetni az összes bútoromat.
She has the patience of a saint when dealing with her students.
Olyan türelmes a diákjaival, mint egy szent.
Thanks for waiting so long—you're a real saint.
Learner examples
You are a saint for helping me.
Egy szent vagy, hogy segítesz nekem.
My mother is a saint with children.
Anyám egy szent a gyerekekkel.
He is like a saint because he is very kind.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse this sense literally; in informal English it usually means 'very kind', not an actual religious figure.
Meaning
Extremely kind or patient person
Collocations
be a saint
|like a saint
|patience of a saint
Synonyms
angel (Similar in meaning in informal use, but more figurative and warm in tone.)
Antonyms
jerk (Informal term for someone rude or unkind, opposite of a saint in this sense.)
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A person who is very kind and patient.
A person who shows great kindness, patience, or selflessness, often to an extraordinary degree.
VERB
C1
INFORMAL
3
szentté avat
B2
kanonizál
C1
Usage pattern:
to saint [someone]
The Pope will saint her next year.
A pápa jövőre szentté avatja.
He was sainted after many miracles were attributed to him.
Szentté avatták, miután számos csodát tulajdonítottak neki.
Only the Pope can saint someone in the Catholic tradition.
Learner examples
The church will saint her next year.
Az egyház jövőre szentté avatja.
They sainted him after his death.
Halála után szentté avatták.
The Pope can saint people.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize this verb form is rare and mostly replaced by 'canonize' in formal contexts.
Meaning
Declare someone to be a saint
Collocations
sainted by the Pope
Synonyms
canonize (Formal religious term for declaring someone a saint; more precise than 'saint' as a verb.)
Themes
religion
Definition
To officially say someone is a saint in the Christian church.
To officially recognize someone as a saint through the process of canonization in the Christian church.
Grammar
Dictionary form
saint
IPA
GB/sˈeɪnt/
US/sˈeɪnt/
Syllables & stress
saint (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (saint)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: saint
- Plural: saints
Word family
Forms
saints
noun
Core family
saintly
adjective
sainthood
noun
Negative and opposite forms
unsaintly
adjective
Advanced or less common
saintliness
noun
canonize
verb
canonization
noun
Expressions
be no saint
1/bˈi nˈoʊ sˈeɪnt/
idiom
informal
Not morally perfect
To not be perfect or completely good.
Examples
- I'm no saint, but I try to do what's right.
- He’s no saint when it comes to telling the truth.
live like a saint
1/lˈɪv lˈaɪk ə sˈeɪnt/
fixed phrase
Live very morally and simply
To live in a very good and moral way, often simply and without luxury.
Examples
- He lives like a saint, giving away most of his money.
- She lived like a saint, always helping others.
patience of a saint
1/pˈeɪʃəns əv ə sˈeɪnt/
idiom
Extreme patience
To have great patience, more than most people have.
Examples
- She must have the patience of a saint to teach those kids all day.
- You need the patience of a saint to deal with that bureaucracy.