hagiology









hagiology


noun, plural hag·i·ol·o·gies for 2, 3.

  1. the branch of literature dealing with the lives and legends of the saints.
  2. a biography or narrative of a saint or saints.
  3. a collection of such biographies or narratives.

noun plural -gies

  1. literature concerned with the lives and legends of saints
    1. a biography of a saint
    2. a collection of such biographies
  2. an authoritative canon of saints
  3. a history of sacred writings
n.

“study of saints’ lives,” 1807, from Greek hagios “holy, devoted to the gods” + -ology. First element perhaps from PIE *yag- “to worship, reverence,” and cognate with Greek agnos “chaste,” Sanskrit yajati “reveres (a god) with sacrifices, worships,” Old Persian ayadana “temple.” Related: Hagiologist (1805).

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