What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Saint vs Nun - What's the difference?

saint | nun |

As nouns the difference between saint and nun

is that saint is a person to whom a church or another religious group has officially attributed the title of "saint"; a holy or godly person; one eminent for piety and virtue while nun is a member of a Christian religious community of women who live by certain vows and usually wear a habit, in some cases living together in a cloister.

As a verb saint

is to canonize, to formally recognize someone as a saint.

As a proper noun Nun is

a given name derived from Hebrew.

saint

English

Noun

(wikipedia saint) (en noun)
  • A person to whom a church or another religious group has officially attributed the title of "saint"; a holy or godly person; one eminent for piety and virtue.
    • Kateri Tekakwitha was proclaimed a saint .
  • (figuratively, by extension) A person with positive qualities; one who does good.
    • Dorothy Day was a living saint .
    Thanks for looking after the house while I'm away. You're a saint !
  • One who is sanctified or made holy; a person who is separated unto God’s service.
    • to the assembly of God which is at Corinth; those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints , with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, both theirs and ours. (1Cor. 1:2)
  • One of the blessed in heaven.
  • * Milton
    • Then shall thy saints , unmixed, and from the impure / Far separate, circling thy holy mount, / Unfeigned hallelujahs to thee sing.

    Synonyms

    * (holy person) (l), sheik

    Related terms

    * sainthood * saintly * saintess

    See also

    * hallow * holos * holy

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (nonstandard) To canonize, to formally recognize someone as a saint.
    • Many wish to see Pope John Paul II sainted immediately.

    External links

    * *

    Anagrams

    * * * * * ----

    nun

    English

    Etymology 1

    From ) a term of address for elderly persons, perhaps from children's speech, reminiscent of nana, like papa etc.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A member of a Christian religious community of women who live by certain vows and usually wear a habit, in some cases living together in a cloister.
  • By extension, member of a similar female community in other confessions.
    • Synonyms
    * sister, moniale, sistren
    Antonyms
    * (member of a religious community of men) * brother * friar * monk * friar and frater or father
    Derived terms
    * nunhood * nunlike, nun-like * nunnery
    Related terms
    * nonnus

    Etymology 2

    Ultimately from (etyl) .

    Alternative forms

    * noon *

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The fourteenth letter of many Semitic alphabets/abjads (Phoenician, Aramaic, Hebrew, Syriac, Arabic and others).

    • External links

    *

    References

    * English heteronyms English palindromes English terms with multiple etymologies ----