san|ton

san|ton¹ «SAN tuhn», noun.

a Muslim holy man or ascetic; marabout: »

He was (say the Arabian historians) one of those…santons, who pass their lives in hermitages, in fasting, meditation, and prayer, until they attain to the purity of saints and the foresight of prophets (Washington Irving).

╂[< French santon < Spanish santón (augmentative) holy man < santo saint; see etym. under Santa² (Cf. ↑Santa)]

san|ton² «sahn TN», noun.

a clay figurine of a religious nature, usually associated with the nativity scene, made in southern France: »

Pierre…longed to enter the contest for shaping clay into santons…but his uncle wouldn't hear of it (Atlantic).

╂[< French santon < Provençal santoun (diminutive) little saint < sant saint < Latin sānctus holy; see etym. under saint (Cf. ↑saint)]