Raphael

American  

[raf-ee-uhl, rey-fee-, rah-fahy-el] / ˈræf i əl, ˈreɪ fi-, ˌrɑ faɪˈɛl /

noun

1. Raffaello Santi or Sanzio, 1483–1520, Italian painter.

2. one of the archangels.

3. a male given name: from a Hebrew word meaning “healing of the Lord.”

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Raphael British  

/ ˈræfeɪəl /

noun

1. Bible one of the archangels; the angel of healing and the guardian of Tobias (Tobit 3:17; 5–12). Feast day: Sept 29

2. original name Raffaello Santi or Sanzio . 1483–1520, Italian painter and architect, regarded as one of the greatest artists of the High Renaissance. His many paintings include the Sistine Madonna (?1513) and the Transfiguration (unfinished, 1520)

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Raphael Cultural  

1. A sixteenth-century Italian painter. A contemporary of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, he is known for his beautiful and gracious Madonnas and The School of Athens (see Plato's Academy).

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Other Word Forms

• Raphaelesque adjective

Example Sentences

"Even a 40-year-old Neuer is one of the best keepers in the world and certainly the best in Germany," European football expert Raphael Honigstein told BBC Radio 5 Live.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Carmen Bambach, a specialist in the Italian Renaissance, curated 175 works by Raphael for the first major exhibition devoted to the painter in the United States.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

When Raphael died after a brief illness at age 37, he left unfinished projects, talented students, and a legacy worthy of an artist twice his age.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

Kenyan police are investigating the reported disappearance of former Foreign Minister Raphael Tuju, amid claims he may have been abducted.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

He had a cousin named Raphael, and he didn’t think much of the name.

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan