Saintships

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The statuses or dignities associated with being recognized as holy individuals ; formal titles or offices bestowed upon people considered exemplary in virtue ; collective condition or position of those canonized or revered as models of sanctity
2. The distinguished positions or honors granted to those acknowledged for exceptional holiness ; official ranks or roles held by persons elevated for their spiritual excellence ; the aggregate title or recognition given to canonized figures
3. The state or office pertaining to canonized persons ; the formal recognition or standing of individuals held as paragons of religious virtue ; the collective title or capacity of those accorded sainthood

Etymology: "Saintships" is the plural of "saintship," a noun for the state or quality of being a saint. The word is formed from "saint" and the suffix "-ship," so the history of its ending matters as much as the root. The suffix "-ship" descends from a Proto-Germanic noun meaning "shape" or "creation," which is also the source of the English word "shape." Over time it came to mark a condition or quality, as in "friendship" or "lordship." In Old English it appeared as "-sċiepe," and by the Middle English period it had become "-schipe," which gradually shortened to the modern "-ship." The root "saint" entered English from Old French "saint," itself from Latin "sanctus," meaning "holy" or "consecrated." Adding "-ship" to it yields a word for the holy state itself, a concept that is more abstract than the person it describes.

Synonyms: holiness, sanctity, piety

Antonyms: sinfulness, wickedness