Archangelic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Pertaining to or characteristic of an archangel, the highest order of angels
2. Connected with or resembling an archangel, representing a chief or supreme angelic being
3. Describing anything that concerns or is associated with archangels, the principal angels in hierarchy

Etymology: "Archangelic" is a straightforward formation: the Latin adjective "archangelicus" was built from "archangelus" (chief angel), which came into Latin from Greek "archangelos," where "archi-" means chief or principal and "angelos" means messenger. English took the adjective from that Latin base, and the prefix "arch-" also sits behind English words like "archbishop," which likewise means a chief bishop. Because the English word can be read as "arch-" plus "angelic," it is easy to mistake it for an ordinary adjective describing something as especially angelic in temperament. Its actual sense is narrower: it relates to archangels, the highest rank of angels in Christian tradition, rather than to angels in general.

Synonyms: celestial, heavenly