Saint Patrick
9
3.9
- proper noun
- Every year, people wear green in honor of Saint Patrick on March 17th.
Examples
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The legend says that Saint Patrick used a shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity.
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I think she was called Bridget; they're all called Bridget—prayed for Saint Patrick to ease her and bring forth a good baby.
Fiction book (1996) -
And Saint Patrick did do this.
Fiction book (1996) -
Saint Patrick is celebrated in Ireland for his role in spreading Saint Patrick.
Synonyms
44
2.8
A 5th-century man known for bringing Christianity to Ireland and becoming the country's patron saint
29
3.5
A person from Britain in the fifth century who brought Christianity to Ireland and is the country's main saint
Surface Forms
Morphology
Knowing 'saint' (a holy person) and 'Patrick' (a personal name) lets a learner infer this refers to a holy person called Patrick, so the basic referential content is compositionally clear. However, the specific historical and cultural information (patron saint of Ireland, missionary activity in the 5th century) cannot be derived from the constituents, so the expression is only partially transparent to learners.
Etymology
Saint Patrick comes from a 5th-century missionary who brought Christianity to Ireland. One popular story says he used a three-leaf shamrock to show the 'Holy Trinity', so people remember him as the 'patron saint' of Ireland and celebrate him on March 17th.