saint
/sɛ̃/masculine
The French word for saint is saint. Wiktionary also lists sainte.
Meaning: person proclaimed as saint (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| saint | /sɛ̃/ /sɛ̃.t‿/ |
masculine |
| sainte | /sɛ̃t/ | feminine |
The word refers to a person proclaimed as saint (noun).
Which one should you use?
Unlike the English word 'saint', the final 't' in the French word saint is silent.
How does it change in a sentence?
sainte is the feminine form of saint.
How do you pronounce it?
/sɛ̃/
Did you know?
- The word saint shares a common ancestor with the English word 'sanction', though in English it often carries a negative or punitive meaning.
- The phrase faire le saint describes someone who is pretending to be virtuous or innocent to hide their faults.
- A person can be described as un saint or une sainte in an ironic, sarcastic way to mean someone is actually quite the opposite, often implying they are annoying or difficult.
Examples in context
- Tu n'es pas un saint.You're no saint.Tatoeba #3648100 by sacredceltic, translation #2218225 by CK
- Il n'est pas un saint.He's no saint.Tatoeba #1932567 by sacredceltic, translation #1932073 by Spamster
- Ce n'est pas un saint.He is no saint.Tatoeba #1932568 by sacredceltic, translation #1932078 by Spamster
- La vie et les œuvres de sainte Thérèse d'Avila ont inspiré de nombreuses personnes.The life and works of Saint Thérèse of Avila have inspired many people.
- L'église célèbre aujourd'hui la mémoire d'un saint homme qui a consacré sa vie à aider les plus démunis.The church commemorates today the memory of a saintly man who devoted his life to helping the less fortunate.
- 56 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Gabriel are discussing a historical figure.
- ManonEst-ce que ce personnage est un saint ?Is this person a saint?
- GabrielOui, c'est un saint très célèbre.Yes, he is a very famous saint.
- ManonJe ne connais pas son histoire.I don't know his story.
- GabrielJe vais te l'expliquer, Manon.I will explain it to you, Manon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “saint” translations and entries saint, sainte, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries saint, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
