Raphael

American  

[raf-ee-uhl, rey-fee-, rah-fahy-el] / ˈræf i əl, ˈreɪ fi-, ˌrɑ faɪˈɛl /

noun

1. Raffaello Santi or Sanzio, 1483–1520, Italian painter.

2. one of the archangels.

3. a male given name: from a Hebrew word meaning “healing of the Lord.”

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Raphael British  

/ ˈræfeɪəl /

noun

1. Bible one of the archangels; the angel of healing and the guardian of Tobias (Tobit 3:17; 5–12). Feast day: Sept 29

2. original name Raffaello Santi or Sanzio . 1483–1520, Italian painter and architect, regarded as one of the greatest artists of the High Renaissance. His many paintings include the Sistine Madonna (?1513) and the Transfiguration (unfinished, 1520)

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Raphael Cultural  

1. A sixteenth-century Italian painter. A contemporary of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, he is known for his beautiful and gracious Madonnas and The School of Athens (see Plato's Academy).

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Other Word Forms

• Raphaelesque
  adjective

Example Sentences

He adopted it last year after his daughter prevailed upon him through the writings of Holocaust survivor and lawyer Raphael Lemkin, credited with coining the term.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

Raphael Sonenshein, executive director of the Haynes Foundation and author of “Politics in Black and White: Race and Power in Los Angeles,” said sweeping generational changes are happening in L.A. politics.

From Los Angeles Times • May 31, 2026

With the leading single “Soul Sista,” the album featured vocals from the likes of Common and Yasiin Bey along with production from Dr. Dre, Raphael Saadiq, the Soulquarians and the late J. Dilla.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

Two reasons Michelangelo shunned Raphael were his youth and good looks.

From Salon • May 16, 2026

Raphael probably would have painted out the freckles, and that would have been a mistake.

From "The View From Saturday" by E.L. Konigsburg