saintly

English

Etymology

From Middle English *saintli (suggested by seyntly (adverb)), equivalent to saint +‎ -ly. Compare saintlike.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈseɪntli/

• Audio (Southern England)

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Adjective

saintly (comparative saintlier, superlative saintliest)

1. Like or characteristic of a saint; befitting a holy person; saintlike.

   Sophie led a saintly life.

   • 1983 August 6, Nancy Walker, “Odyssey of a Unicorn”, in Gay Community News, page 17:

     Since my sother is nothing short of saintly, she fetches me daily from work and transports me here and there.

   • September 8 2022, Stephen Bates, “Queen Elizabeth II obituary”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     She met more than a quarter of all the American presidents who have ever lived, five popes, hundreds of national leaders, from the saintly, such as Nelson Mandela, to the tyrannical, including Robert Mugabe and Nicolae Ceausescu […]

Synonyms

• holy
• pious
• saintlike

Derived terms

• saintlihood
• saintlily
• saintliness

Anagrams

• antsily, nastily