Where does “sainthood” come from?
Sainthood comes from English saint plus the suffix -hood, ultimately from Latin sanctus, derived from the Proto-Indo-European root seh₂k- meaning to sanctify or make sacred.
sainthood (English): the state of being a saint; saints collectively
Definitions
- the state of being a saint; saints collectively
Ancestry of “sainthood”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Saint | A title given to a saint, often prefixed to the... |
| 2 | Middle English | saint | — |
| 3 | Old English | sanct | saint |
| 4 | Latin | sānctus | sacred, made inviolable, having been established as sacred |
| 5 | Latin | Iacobus | Jacob; James; Saint James |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | Ἰάκωβος | — |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | Ἰακώβ | Jacob |
| 8 | Hebrew | יַעֲקֹב | Jacob |
| 9 | Hebrew | עָקֵב | heel of the foot; heel |