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Saint George

Saint George

2 4.9
A Christian who died for their faith and is England's patron, known for killing a dragon
  • proper noun
: San Jorge
  • The legend of Saint George and the dragon is a well-known story among Christians.

Examples

  • Every year, people honor Saint George on April 23rd with parades and events across England.

  • The flag of England features the cross of Saint George, symbolizing courage and chivalry.

  • And as the people at Saint George took cover, it was natural that some of them have questions about atomic tests.

  • If you were driving from Los Angeles to salt lake city on us highway 91, you would pass through Saint George, Utah, just a short way from the Nevada test site 140 miles to the west.

  • Word has just been received from the atomic energy commission that due to a change in wind direction the residue from this morning's atomic detonation is drifting in the direction of Saint George.

Synonyms

George
vsSaint George
  • Literature
11 4.6

A Christian saint who is the patron saint of England and killed a dragon to save a princess

is the same but often shortened in writing to an abbreviated form
St. George
vsSaint George
1 6.4

A Christian saint who is the patron of England and famous for killing a dragon

is the same but usually written with the complete formal title

Surface Forms

Morphology

saint + George

A B1 learner who knows 'saint' and 'George' can transparently infer this refers to a holy person named George (i.e. a saint called George), so the basic identity is compositional. However, the specific cultural details in the definition — martyrdom, patronage of England, and the dragon-slaying legend — are not derivable from the constituents and require extra cultural/historical knowledge, making the overall item only partially transparent.

Etymology

Saint George comes from a popular story about a brave soldier who killed a dragon to save a princess and the town. Because of that strong picture of protection and courage, people call Saint George a 'protector' and a symbol of 'bravery'.