saint

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
saint /seɪnt/, before a name usually /s(ə)nt/

▶noun

• 1 a person acknowledged as holy or virtuous and regarded in Christian faith as being in heaven after death.

  ■ a person of exalted virtue who is canonized by the Church after death and who may be the object of veneration and prayers for intercession.

• 2 (Saint) a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; a Mormon.

• 3 informal a very virtuous person.

▶verb

• 1 formally recognize as a saint; canonize.

• 2 (as adj. sainted) worthy of being a saint; very virtuous: his sainted sister.

– derivatives
saintdom noun,
sainthood noun,
saintship noun.

– origin ME: from OFr. seint, from L. sanctus ‘holy’, past part. of sancire ‘consecrate’.