Theology. a chief or principal angel; in medieval angelology one of the nine orders of celestial attendants on God.
Russian Arkhangelsk. a seaport in the northwestern Russian Federation in Europe, on Dvina Bay.
Gulf of Archangel, former name of Dvina Bay.
a principal angel, a member of the order ranking immediately above the angels in medieval angelology
another name for angelica
a Eurasian herbaceous plant ( Lamiastrum luteum ) that has yellow helmet-shaped flowers: family Lamiaceae (labiates)
a bronze-coloured breed of domestic pigeon with black markings
before 1000; early Middle English arc ( h ) angel < Anglo-French, Old French arc ( h ) ang ( e ) le < Late Latin archangelus < Greek archángelos; replacing Old English hēahengel; see high, arch- 1, angel
In religious writing, an archangel is the most important angel of all, sometimes described as ranking above the regular angels. You'll come across the noun archangel if you're reading Christian, Judaic, or Islamic religious texts. In the Christian Bible, the word archangel is only used twice, once generally and once to refer to Michael, although there are many other figures in Christianity considered to be archangels. The Greek root word, arkhangelos, is made up of arkh, "first or chief," and angelos, "angel."
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"They built a large four-poster bed in this room and bring in their own furniture and props, in this case a large statue of the archangel," he added.
From BBC ● Dec. 5, 2025
I pulled Jurado aside for a quick interview and immediately asked about the archangel Michael pendant.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2024
The images were a well-known 14th-century painting of Muhammad and the archangel Gabriel by Persian scholar Rashid al-Din, and a 16th-century Ottoman Turkish illustration by Mustafa ibn Vali.
From Washington Times ● Jan. 9, 2023
Such a move isn't entirely unprecedented, after all; wasn't it thrilling to see Tilda Swinton swooped in at the end of 2005's "Constantine" as the archangel Gabriel?
From Salon ● Aug. 13, 2022
Five of the pictures showcased the prize-winning Maine coons she’d raised over the years, most way before I was born, all male and each named after an archangel.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
Instead of depicting the Archangel Gabriel visibly, he only suggested his presence.
From BBC ● Mar. 2, 2026
The Archangel Michael is the patron saint of police officers, so I wanted to ask Jurado if her pendant was a sly dig at her antagonists.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2024
“That’s it — to unite,” said the Rev. Elvis González, pastor at St. Michael the Archangel, a historically Cuban church that welcomes faithful from across Central America.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 5, 2023
By 2017, it had purchased several dozen of the Iomax Archangel, a plane whose design is based on crop-dusting planes manufactured by Thrush, a Georgia manufacturer of agricultural aircraft mostly for the U.S. market.
From Slate ● Sep. 26, 2022
With all my heart I believed that we would continue to live the same until Archangel Gabriel announced the end of time.
From "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" by Avi
“There’s something about these Spanish archangels with weapons,” she says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
The large scarlet wings on the ballet’s two leading women—Sara Mearns, often coupled with Stanley, and Isabella LaFreniere, mostly opposite Mr. Tomash—resemble those of archangels.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2025
Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify thy glorious name; evermore praising thee, and saying,
From BBC ● May 5, 2023
While she’s across the hall with the mookee club, her father delivers some astounding news: Two of Melinda’s archangels have won three awards — best of breed, champion and reserve champion — a full sweep.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 22, 2019
Like stars flung off the brows of archangels.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
