Angel

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈeɪn.d͡ʒl̩/

Definitions

1. A supernatural being believed to act as a messenger or servant of God, typically depicted with wings and a halo
2. A celestial being often regarded as a divine envoy, recognized for guiding and protecting humans while typically illustrated with wings and a radiant appearance
3. A heavenly creature viewed as a mediator between the divine and humans, frequently portrayed with wings, a halo, and a benevolent demeanor

Etymology: The most striking twist is that "angel" began as a plain word for a messenger. The Ancient Greek "ángelos" meant simply "messenger," with no heavenly connotation at all. Its religious sense arrived through the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, where it was chosen to render the Hebrew "malʾāḵ," which carries the same basic idea of a messenger, including messengers of the God of Israel. The Greek word then passed into Latin as "angelus," and the spiritual meaning came along with it. English received the word in two waves. Old English "enġel," which likely developed from the Latin word through an earlier Germanic form, appeared in the sense of a heavenly being, and the Middle English "aungel" carried it forward. Anglo-Norman "angele" later reinforced the word, so the form in modern English reflects several routes at once. "Angelus," the Latin word, survives as a doublet, the bell-devotion name borrowed directly from the same source. One curiosity is that some churches have used "angel" for a human church official. This comes from reading the "angels" of the seven churches of Asia in the Book of Revelation as bishops or ministers rather than heavenly beings.

Synonyms: messenger, spirit, guardian, divine being

Antonyms: devil, demon