St. Nicholas
1
5.7
- proper noun
:
San Nicolás
- The Dutch St. Nicholas is perhaps a closer relative, but he was a rather stern fellow who rode a horse and punished as well as rewarded children.
Examples
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Also, comparing St. Nicholas of Myra and I is a non-sequitur.
Blog text (33) -
I'd also like to point out that I simply clarified the event involving St. Nicholas. If you dislike the censure, please take it up with the synod of bishops who issued it.
Blog text (33) -
Anyway, St. Nicholas is a better person than you, and judging him shows how proud and poor you are!
Blog text (33) -
Dan Li, do you know who St. Nicholas is?
Blog text (33) -
Angelina, I would also like you to consider that episode in St. Nicholas' life.
Blog text (33) -
Do you think such physically brusque behavior was *normal* for St. Nicholas, even in such situations?
Blog text (33) -
During the Arius heresy, St. Nicholas punched Arius.
Blog text (33) -
Santa Claus first appears as we know him in "A Visit from St. Nicholas" or "The Night Before Christmas" by Clement Moore, which evidently was first published anonymously in 1823 in a Troy, New York, newspaper.
Academic text (1990) -
Friedrich Magirius, one of the pastors of Leipzig's St. Nicholas Church and a major figure in the Wende, was chosen as president of the city's newly elected assembly.
Academic text (1990) -
Many people celebrate St. Nicholas Day on December 6th in honor of the bishop's legacy.
Synonyms
259
3.4
A fourth-century bishop from Myra who is a saint and inspired Santa Claus
A Christian saint from the 300s who inspired Santa Claus and gave gifts to children at Christmas
Surface Forms
Morphology
St. + Nicholas
The form 'St. Nicholas' is transparently built from 'St.' (Saint) + the proper name 'Nicholas', so a learner who knows both constituents will infer it refers to a saint named Nicholas. The 'Saint + name' construction is cross-linguistically common and signals a historical/religious figure even if the learner does not know the specific biographical details.
Etymology
St. Nicholas was a 4th-century church leader who secretly left coins in people's shoes to help the poor. Because people told stories of him filling shoes with gifts, 'St. Nicholas' became linked to 'gift-giving' and later inspired 'Santa Claus'.