seraphic
Americanadjective
adjective
-
of or resembling a seraph
-
blissfully serene; rapt
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of seraphic
From the Medieval Latin word seraphicus, dating back to 1625–35. See seraphim, -ic
Explanation
Something that's seraphic resembles an angel. A seraphic smile is sweet and angelic. The adjective seraphic means "like a seraph," or similar to a high-ranking angel. People with gentle, innocent faces are often said to be seraphic, and any kind of dreamy music or art can be described the same way. The word dates from the 17th century, from the Church Latin seraphicus, originally from the Hebrew seraphim, which is thought to mean "the burning one," as seraphs were traditionally "flaming" angels.
Vocabulary lists containing seraphic
Positive Words to Describe a Person
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Educated
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"Simon's Saga," Vocabulary from Episode 18
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And the closed-eyes, seraphic expression on her face.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2023
For “No Pude,” which translates to “I could not,” Pimienta’s seraphic vocals cut through haunting harmonies as she wrestled with the exhaustion and apprehension her home country conjured within her.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 6, 2022
Throughout the production of “If Beale Street Could Talk,” it appears some seraphic energy was present.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 12, 2018
The old man smokes his pipe, the young woman sews, and they say nothing—not until the final minutes, when, in a seraphic closeup, she utters one word of farewell.
From The New Yorker ● Apr. 24, 2017
It grew dark, the approaching night—langui- nous, honey-mellow, luminous—gleamed with a seraphic effulgence.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
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.
