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patron saint
noun
1
: a saint to whose protection and intercession a person, a society, a church, or a place is dedicated
2
: an original leader or prime exemplar
Synonyms
Examples of patron saint in a Sentence
St. David is the patron saint of Wales.
St. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers.
The success of her books has made her the patron saint of a new literary movement.
Recent Examples on the Web
Inspired by Saint Ambrogio, the patron saint of Milan, the first location bowed in 1936.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 23 Oct. 2024
Francis still looms as a patron saint for thalidomide survivors worldwide.
—Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 17 Oct. 2024
The Kenzo creative director and patron saint of streetwear returns for the second round in Shanghai.
—Luke Leitch, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2024
It’s named for the patron saint of farmers, a showcase for a kitchen led by chef de cuisine Ian Lanphear to harvest local meats and produce from the multimarket ecosystem of Pullman and beyond.
—Mike Sutter, San Antonio Express-News, 2 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for patron saint
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Word History
First Known Use
1703, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near patron saint
Cite this Entry
“Patron saint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patron%20saint. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
patron saint
noun
: a saint to whom a person, society, church, or place is dedicated
More from Merriam-Webster on patron saint
Nglish: Translation of patron saint for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about patron saint
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