St. Bernard: Meaning and Definition of

St. Ber•nard

Pronunciation: (sānt" bur-närd' for 1, 2 also Fr. san ber-nar'), [key]
  1. a mountain pass between SW Switzerland and NW Italy, in the Pennine Alps: Napoleon led his army through it in 1800; location of a hospice. 8108 ft. (2470 m) high. See map under
  2. a mountain pass between SE France and NW Italy, in the Alps, S of Mont Blanc. 7177 ft. (2185 m) high.
  3. one of a breed of very large dogs having a massive head and a dense coat, bred in the Swiss Alps as guide dogs and used to rescue lost, snowbound travelers.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.