cherub

American  

[cher-uhb] / ˈtʃɛr əb /

noun

plural

cherubs, cherubim

1. (in the Bible) a celestial being.

2. Theology. a member of the second order of angels, often represented as a beautiful rosy-cheeked child with wings.

3. a beautiful or innocent person, especially a child.

4. a person, especially a child, with a sweet, chubby, innocent face.

---

cherub British  

/ tʃəˈruːbɪk, ˈtʃɛrəb /

noun

1. theol a member of the second order of angels, whose distinctive gift is knowledge, often represented as a winged child or winged head of a child

2. an innocent or sweet child

---

Other Word Forms

• cherubic adjective
• cherubical adjective
• cherubically adverb
• cherublike adjective

Etymology

Origin of cherub

First recorded before 900; Middle English, from Latin, from Greek, from Hebrew kərūbh; replacing Middle English cherubin, Old English c(h)erubin, cerubim (all singular), from Latin cherūbim, from Greek, from Hebrew kərūbhīm (plural)

Example Sentences

Church and government officials launched an investigation after pictures of a cherub at the Basilica of St Lawrence in Lucina showed her newly restored face had an uncanny likeness to right-wing leader, Giorgia Meloni.

From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026

The moment we were alone, the guiltless cherub mutated into Cerberus, screaming and scratching at me.

From New York Times • Apr. 11, 2023

A cherub statue the Welnicks placed outside as a memorial to a child they lost to miscarriage looked down at the rubble.

From Seattle Times • May 1, 2022

Adriana Bottino-Poage is 6 years old, with cherub cheeks and curls that bounce when she laughs.

From Washington Post • Sep. 26, 2021

A little polished cherub grins at each corner.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr