angel

[ eyn-juh l ]

/ ˈeɪn dʒəl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR angel ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

one of a class of spiritual beings; a celestial attendant of God. In medieval angelology, angels constituted the lowest of the nine celestial orders (seraphim, cherubim, thrones, dominations or dominions, virtues, powers, principalities or princedoms, archangels, and angels).

a conventional representation of such a being, in human form, with wings, usually in white robes.

a messenger, especially of God.

a person who performs a mission of God or acts as if sent by God: an angel of mercy.

a person having qualities generally attributed to an angel, as beauty, purity, or kindliness.

a person whose actions and thoughts are consistently virtuous.

an attendant or guardian spirit.

a deceased person whose soul is regarded as having been accepted into heaven.

a person who provides financial backing for some undertaking, as a play, political campaign, or business venture: A group of angels entered the mix, providing George the leverage he needed to take the startup company in a new direction. Angels seek deals that they can exit in less than a decade.

an English gold coin issued from 1470 to 1634, varying in value from 6s. 8d. to 10s. and bearing on its obverse a figure of the archangel Michael killing a dragon.

Slang. an image on a radar screen caused by a low-flying object, as a bird.

verb (used with object), an·geled, an·gel·ing or, esp. British an·gelled, an·gel·ling.

Informal. to provide financial backing for: Two wealthy friends angeled the Broadway revival of his show.

Nearby words

angakok, angara, angarsk, angary, angashore, angel, angel bed, angel cake, angel dust, angel falls, angel food cake

Origin of angel

before 950; 1890–95 for def 9; Middle English a(u)ngel (< Anglo-French, Old French) < Late Latin angelus < New Testament Greek ángelos messenger of God, special use of Greek ángelos messenger; replacing Old English engel < Latin, as above

Can be confused

angel angle

Definition for angels (2 of 2)

Angel

[ eyn-juh l; Spanish ahn-hel ]

/ ˈeɪn dʒəl; Spanish ɑnˈhɛl /

noun

a male or female given name.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for angels

Murders in the City of Angels have fallen by about half in the last 10 years: no small feat for such a big city.
America’s 2014 Murder Capital|Brandy Zadrozny|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
This sultry ballad about break-ups and make-ups in the City of Angels is haunting stuff.
The 14 Best Songs of 2014: Bobby Shmurda, Future Islands, Drake, and More|Marlow Stern|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She has 16 total nominations, including one in the TV field for Angels in America.
Jennifer Aniston, Oscar Nominee? 5 Takeaways from the 2015 SAG Award Nominations|Kevin Fallon|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There's a being far more curious to the world of ‘Magic: The Gathering’ than dragons, angels, or merfolk: female players.
Is ‘Magic: The Gathering’ Immune to GamerGate Misogyny?|David Levesley|October 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST

But there's a being far more curious to the world of Magic: The Gathering than dragons, angels, or merfolk: female players.
Is ‘Magic: The Gathering’ Immune to GamerGate Misogyny?|David Levesley|October 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Yet angels rejoice with man and with creation redeemed and purified.
The Expositor's Bible: The Book of Revelation|William Milligan
I thought at first they must be angels, so bright and happy did they seem.
The Rocky Island|Samuel Wilberforce
He also practised sculpture and did eight angels in bronze for the Duomo.
A Popular Handbook to the National Gallery, Volume I, Foreign Schools|Various
As she walked slowly along, she thought to herself, "Elise with the angels!"
The Pearl Box|A Pastor
There is joy, so we are told, in the presence of the angels of God—plenty of it, let us hope!
The Inner Shrine|Basil King

British Dictionary definitions for angels

angel

/ (ˈeɪndʒəl) /

noun

theol one of a class of spiritual beings attendant upon God. In medieval angelology they are divided by rank into nine orders: seraphim, cherubim, thrones, dominations (or dominions), virtues, powers, principalities (or princedoms), archangels, and angels

a divine messenger from God

a guardian spirit

a conventional representation of any of these beings, depicted in human form with wings

informal a person, esp a woman, who is kind, pure, or beautiful

informal an investor in a venture, esp a backer of a theatrical production

Also called: angel-noble a former English gold coin with a representation of the archangel Michael on it, first minted in Edward IV's reign

informal an unexplained signal on a radar screen

Word Origin for angel

Old English, from Late Latin angelus, from Greek angelos messenger

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Culture definitions for angels

angels

Spirits who live in heaven with God; also the devils of hell, who are angels fallen from goodness. In the Bible (see also Bible), angels are often sent to Earth, sometimes with a human appearance, to bring the messages of God to people, to guide and protect them, or to execute God's punishments. (See Abraham and Isaac, Annunciation, cherubim, Daniel in the lions' den, Gabriel, Jacob's ladder, Lot's wife, Lucifer, Michael, Passover (see also Passover), plagues of Egypt, Satan, and Sodom and Gomorrah.)

Idioms and Phrases with angels

angels

see fools rush in where angels fear to tread; on the side of the angels.