saint bernard

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Definition of saint bernard in English English dictionary

One of a breed of large dog, famous for rescuing people on mountains

{i} large breed of dog (trained especially to rescue people from avalanches in the Alps)

Breed of rescue dog that saved about 2,500 people over 300 years of service at a hospice in Great St. Bernard pass in the Pennine Alps. Probably descended from mastiff-like dogs, it was brought to the hospice in the late 17th century. A powerful dog with a massive head and drooping ears, it stands at least 25 in. (65 cm) and weighs 110-200 lbs (50-90 kg). Its dense coat is red-brown and white or brindle and white and may be short or medium-long. The long-haired variety was produced by crosses with the Newfoundland in the early 19th century

a Swiss alpine breed of large powerful thick-coated dog used as a rescue dog

Related Terms

Saint Bernard de Clairvaux

born 1090, probably Fontaine-les-Dijons, near Dijon, Burgundy died Aug. 20, 1153, Clairvaux, Champagne; canonized 1174; feast day August 20 French Cistercian monk, mystic, and doctor of the church. Born into an aristocratic family near Dijon, he turned away from a literary education for the monastic life, entering the austere religious community at Cîteaux in 1112. As abbot of the Cistercian monastery at Clairvaux, Champagne, which he founded in 1115, he helped establish the widespread popularity of the order. Between 1130 and 1145 he mediated civil and ecclesiastical councils and theological debates, and his support for Pope Innocent II helped secure the papacy during the schism with Anacletus. Bernard was the confidant of five popes and became perhaps the most renowned religious figure in Europe. He actively preached the Second Crusade and wrote a number of sermons on the Song of Solomon. He opposed the teachings of Peter Abelard and Henry of Lausanne and defended devotion to the Virgin Mary

Saint Bernards

plural form of Saint Bernard

Great Saint Bernard Pass

An Alpine pass, 2,473.6 m (8,110 ft) high, on the Italian-Swiss border. Known to the ancient Romans, it is named for Saint Bernard of Menthon, who founded a hospice at its summit in the 11th century. ancient Mons Jovis Pass in the Alps. One of the highest of the Alpine frontier passes, at 8,100 ft (2,469 m), it lies on the Italian-Swiss border east of the Mont Blanc group and connects Valais, Switz., with Aosta, Italy. Historically the most important trans-Alpine route, it was often used by pilgrims to Rome and later by medieval armies. In 1800 it was crossed by Napoleon and his 40,000 troops on their way to northern Italy. A famous hospice on the pass, founded by St. Bernard of Menthon in the 11th century, is still kept by Augustinian monks who, with their St. Bernard dogs, provide services to travelers. The old road, open only five months a year, has been partly superseded by a tunnel beneath the pass, which allows year-round travel

Little Saint Bernard Pass

A mountain pass through the Savoy Alps between Italy and France south of Mont Blanc. It rises to 2,189.9 m (7,180 ft)

saint-bernard's-lily

southern European plant commonly cultivated for its spikes of small starry greenish-white flowers

Hyphenation

saint Ber·nard

Turkish pronunciation

seynt bırnärd

Pronunciation

/ˈsānt bərˈnärd/ /ˈseɪnt bɜrˈnɑːrd/