angel

¹

[ eyn-juhl ]

noun

1. one of a class of spiritual beings; a celestial attendant of God. In medieval angelology, angels constituted the lowest of the nine celestial orders (seraphim, cherubim, thrones, dominations or dominions, virtues, powers, principalities or princedoms, archangels, and angels).
2. a conventional representation of such a being, in human form, with wings, usually in white robes.
3. a messenger, especially of God.
4. a person who performs a mission of God or acts as if sent by God:

   an angel of mercy.

5. a person having qualities generally attributed to an angel, as beauty, purity, or kindliness.
6. a person whose actions and thoughts are consistently virtuous.
7. an attendant or guardian spirit.
8. a deceased person whose soul is regarded as having been accepted into heaven.
9. a person who provides financial backing for some undertaking, as a play, political campaign, or business venture:

   A group of angels entered the mix, providing George the leverage he needed to take the startup company in a new direction.

   Angels seek deals that they can exit in less than a decade.

10. an English gold coin issued from 1470 to 1634, varying in value from 6s. 8d. to 10s. and bearing on its obverse a figure of the archangel Michael killing a dragon.
11. Slang. an image on a radar screen caused by a low-flying object, as a bird.

verb (used with object)

, an·geled, an·gel·ing or, especially British an·gelled, an·gel·ling.

1. Informal. to provide financial backing for:

   Two wealthy friends angeled the Broadway revival of his show.

Angel

²

[ eyn-juhl; Spanish ahn-hel ]

noun

1. a first name.

angel

/ ˈeɪndʒəl /

noun

1. theol one of a class of spiritual beings attendant upon God. In medieval angelology they are divided by rank into nine orders: seraphim, cherubim, thrones, dominations (or dominions), virtues, powers, principalities (or princedoms), archangels, and angels
2. a divine messenger from God
3. a guardian spirit
4. a conventional representation of any of these beings, depicted in human form with wings
5. informal.
   a person, esp a woman, who is kind, pure, or beautiful
6. informal.
   an investor in a venture, esp a backer of a theatrical production
7. Also calledangel-noble a former English gold coin with a representation of the archangel Michael on it, first minted in Edward IV's reign
8. informal.
   an unexplained signal on a radar screen

Word History and Origins

Origin of angel¹

First recorded before 950; 1890–95 angel fordef 9; Middle English a(u)ngel, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Late Latin angelus, from New Testament Greek ángelos “messenger of God,” special use of Greek ángelos “messenger” (to translate Hebrew mal'ākh ), of disputed origin, frequently connected to ángaros “Persian mounted courier,” suggesting derivation from an uncertain source possibly akin to Akkadian agâru “to hire” or egertu “letter,” Persian angareh “journal, narrative,” or Sanskrit ajira “swift”; replacing Old English engel, from Latin, as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of angel¹

Old English, from Late Latin angelus, from Greek angelos messenger

Example Sentences

When Nadal emerged as a prodigious teenager, making his ATP Tour debut in 1999 aged 15, he was known simply for being the nephew of Barcelona and Spain footballer Miguel Angel.

From BBC

After 20 months, the company that held the Angels’ television rights emerged from a federal bankruptcy court Thursday, still intact as a company and still holding the Angels’ television rights.

From Los Angeles Times

The latest details come three weeks after Valenzuela’s death and days after a public funeral Mass was held for him at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times

McG is the professional name of Joseph McGinty Nichol, a former record producer who is now a movie producer and director known for “Charlies Angels: Full Throttle,” “Terminator Salvation” and “Uglies.”

From Los Angeles Times

That timing also would give the Angels three years to explore the viability of launching their own broadcast and streaming package, as the Ducks have done this year.

From Los Angeles Times