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Glite Dictionary
St. Francis of Assisi

St. Francis of Assisi

3 7.0
An Italian monk and preacher who founded the Franciscan order and cares for the poor and animals
  • proper noun
: San Francisco de Asís
  • Many churches are named in honor of St. Francis of Assisi throughout the world.
  • St. Francis of Assisi
  • Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi

Examples

  • The teachings of St. Francis of Assisi inspired generations to embrace humility and compassion.

  • The Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe attracts many visitors each year.

  • St. Francis of Assisi is often depicted with birds and animals, symbolizing his love for all creatures.

  • Many people admire St. Francis of Assisi for his love of animals.

  • Did you know that St. Francis of Assisi founded the Franciscan order?

  • In 1223, St. Francis of Assisi created the first living crèche to celebrate Christmas.

  • Every year, the community gathers at the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi for a special Mass.

Synonyms

Saint Francis
vsSt. Francis of Assisi
5 5.6

An Italian monk and Catholic saint who founded a group of religious men

includes the place name in its title rather than leaving it out
Francis of Assisi
vsSt. Francis of Assisi
5 6.4

An Italian monk and preacher who founded the Franciscan order and became a Catholic saint

uses an abbreviated honorific rather than the name without a title
St. Francis
vsSt. Francis of Assisi
5 6.8

An Italian monk who founded the Franciscan order and became a Catholic saint

is the short abbreviated honorific form without extra name notes
Saint Francis of Assisi
vsSt. Francis of Assisi
1 6.3

An Italian religious man of the 1200s who started the Franciscan order and cared for poor people and animals

uses an abbreviated title rather than the full formal title

Surface Forms

St. Francis of Assisi main

Morphology

St. + Francis + of + Assisi

The structure 'St.' (saint) + personal name + 'of' + place lets a learner who knows the words infer that this is a saint named Francis associated with the town of Assisi, so the basic referent is compositionally clear. However, the full encyclopedic meaning (that he was an Italian monk/preacher and founder of the Franciscan order) requires cultural/historical knowledge beyond the literal constituents, so the expression is only partially predictable.

Etymology

St. Francis of Assisi was an Italian monk and preacher long ago who gave up wealth to live simply and who loved animals and nature. He is often shown talking to birds and caring for animals, so his name now reminds people of 'care for nature' and 'a humble life'.