Angels

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈeɪn.d͡ʒəlz/

Definitions

1. Spiritual beings believed to act as messengers or agents of a divine power ; a person who is exceptionally kind or helpful to others
2. Celestial entities often depicted as guardians or servants of a deity ; someone considered morally good and supportive in difficult situations
3. Invisible supernatural spirits thought to protect and guide humans ; an individual admired for their kindness and willingness to assist

Etymology: The word here is the plural of "angel," and the most striking part of its story is that the original Greek meant nothing more mystical than "messenger." The Greek "ángelos" was an ordinary word for someone who carried news or orders. When Greek-speaking Jews translated the Hebrew "malʾāḵ," which also meant "messenger," they used this same term for the divine messengers of God, and that religious sense is where the modern meaning begins. The word passed into Latin as "angelus," then into Old English as "engel" or "anġel," and the form has barely changed since. Later Middle English and Anglo-Norman influence reinforced the spelling "angel" with its Latin source. Over time the term also came to be used for people, in the sense of someone who is kind and helpful in hard times, a meaning that moves from celestial beings to human goodness.

Synonyms: messengers, spirits, cherubs

Antonyms: demons