The word "be-saint" is spelled with a hyphen to indicate that it is a combination of the prefix "be-" and the verb "saint". The IPA phonetic transcription for "be-saint" is /bi-seɪnt/, where "bi-" is pronounced with a short "i" sound and "seɪnt" is pronounced with a long "a" sound. This verb refers to the act of making someone or something seem saintly or holy in the eyes of others. Despite being a relatively uncommon word, "be-saint" can still be found in some English dictionaries.
The word "be-saint" is derived from the Middle English term "bi-sainten" which comes from the Old English word "be-sēon", meaning "to make holy" or "to consecrate". It is a combination of the prefix "be-" (indicating completeness or intensification) and the word "sēon" which means "to see". The idea behind "be-saint" is to view or depict someone as holy or sacred. Over time, the hyphen between "be" and "saint" was dropped, resulting in the modern spelling.