Meanings
plural patron saints
- ChristianityA saint conceived as the patron (protector or supporter) of a particular place, group, person, or activity, for whom or for which his or her intercession is specially invoked.
My patron saint, St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco—also known as “St. John the Wonderworker”—is particularly noteworthy in this regard […]
2016 July 8, Wesley J. Smith, “St. John the Wonderworker”, in First Things2 more examples
When Aimé Humbert joined Josephine in Paris, he visited the Inspector of Police, and was so depressed by his meeting that she sent him to the Louvre ‘to look at the wonderful painting of St Marguerite, the patron saint of purity, trampling down the hideous dragon and looking so calm and peaceful’.
2014, Helen Mathers, Patron Saint of Prostitutes: Josephine Butler and a Victorian Scandal, History Press, →ISBNEntering the tunnel, we pass a small shrine above our heads which contains a statue of St Barbara, the patron saint of tunnellers. It is traditional to have such shrines on every tunnel site.
2022 March 23, Paul Bigland, “HS2 is just 'passing through'”, in RAIL, number 953, page 41 - figurativelyAn exemplar: an individual who exemplifies some trait or group.
Janet is the patron saint of procrastination. I'm thinking of erecting her a shrine of doughnut boxes in the breakroom.
Synonyms: archetype, byspel, case, beau ideal, case in point, embodiment, epitome, eponym
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn exemplar: an individual who exemplifies some trait or group.
Translations
Chinese Mandarin 主保聖人 /主保圣人
- 主保聖人 /主保圣人 (zhǔbǎo shèngrén)saint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
Danish skytshelgen
- skytshelgensaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
Dutch beschermheilige
- beschermheiligesaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
Esperanto patrono
- patronosaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
Finnish suojeluspyhimys
- suojeluspyhimyssaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
French saint patron
- saint patronsaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
German Schutzheiliger, Schutzheilige
- Schutzheiligersaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
- Schutzheiligesaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
- Schutzpatronsaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
- Schutzpatroninsaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
Hungarian védőszent
- védőszentsaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
Icelandic verndardýrlingur
- verndardýrlingursaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
Irish éarlamh
- éarlamhsaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
Italian santo patrono
- santo patronosaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
Japanese 守護聖人
- 守護聖人 (shugoseijin)saint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
Korean 수호성인
- 수호성인 (suhoseong'in)saint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
Polish patron, patron
- patronsaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
- patronexemplar
Portuguese patrono, padroeiro
- patronosaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
- padroeirosaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
- oragosaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
Romanian sfânt patron
- sfânt patronsaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
Russian свято́й покрови́тель, обра́зчик
- свято́й покрови́тель (svjatój pokrovítelʹ)saint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
- обра́зчик (obrázčik)exemplar
Scottish Gaelic naomh-taice
- naomh-taicesaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
Spanish patrono, santo patrón
- patronosaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
- santo patrónsaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
- santo patronosaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
Swedish skyddshelgon
- skyddshelgonsaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
Tagalog pintakasi
- pintakasisaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
Ukrainian святий покровитель
- святий покровитель (svjatyj pokrovytelʹ)saint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
Vietnamese thánh quan thầy
- thánh quan thầysaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
Welsh nawddsant
- nawddsantsaint from whom a specific group claims special protection or prayer
Cite this entry
patron saint. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/patron%20saint
“patron saint.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/patron%20saint. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “patron saint,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/patron%20saint.
Source: patron saint on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.