Angels are spiritual beings that some people believe are God's servants in heaven.
2. countable noun
You can call someone you like very much an angel in order to show affection, especially when they have been kind to you or done you a favour.
[feelings]
Thank you a thousand times, you're an angel.
Synonyms: dear, ideal, beauty, saint More Synonyms of angel
3. countable noun
If you describe someone as an angel, you mean that they seem to be very kind and good.
[approval]
Poppa thought her an angel.
He was such an angel to put up with it.
4.
See on the side of the angels
5.
See rush in where angels fear to tread
More Synonyms of angel
angel in British English
(ˈeɪndʒəl)
noun
1. theology
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 called: angel-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 origin
Old English, from Late Latin angelus, from Greek angelos messenger
angel in American English
(ˈeɪndʒəl)
noun
1. Theology
a.
a messenger of God
b.
a supernatural being, either good or bad, to whom are attributed greater than human power, intelligence, etc.
2.
a guiding spirit or influence
one's good angel
3.
a conventionalized image of a white-robed figure in human form with wings and a halo
4.
a person regarded as being as beautiful, good, innocent, etc. as an angel
said esp. of women and children
5.
an English gold coin, last issued in 1634, stamped with an image of the archangel Michael and the dragon
6. US, Informal
a supporter who provides money, as for producing a play
7.
a radar echo from something other than an aircraft, as from birds or rain
verb transitive
8. Slang
to support with money
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈsponsor
Word origin
ME aungel < OFr angele or OE engel, or directly < LL(Ec) angelus (> OFr & OE forms) < Gr(Ec) angelos, messenger < ?
angel in Finance
(eɪndʒəl)
Word forms: (regular plural) angels
noun
(Finance: Investment, Venture capitalism)
An angel is an investor who uses their own funds to provide capital for a startup.
Venture capitalists will not touch the space industry but, increasingly, angel investors are playing a role.
A business angel can provide both finance and business expertise to an investee company.
An angel is an investor who uses their own funds to provide capital for a startup.
More idioms containing
angel
a fallen angel
Examples of 'angel' in a sentence
angel
Let's hope that angel 's haircut of thine is standing thee in good stead.
Anthony Masters CASCADES - THE DAY OF THE DEAD (2001)
With untroubled confidence in the omnipotence of his guardian angel, Toni admitted with feigned remorse, `You did, Daddy.
Low, Ona MURKY SHALLOWS (2001)
Or maybe the angel was just playing it safe, waiting to see who prevailed.
Duncan, Robert L THE SERPENT'S MARK (2001)
Quotations
Is man an ape or an angel? Now I am on the side of the angelsBenjamin DisraeliSpeech at Oxford Diocesan Conference
Word lists with
angel
affection, orders of angels
In other languages
angel
British English: angel /ˈeɪndʒəl/ NOUN
Angels are spiritual beings that some people believe are God's messengers and servants in heaven.
My daughter believes in angels.
American English: angel
Arabic: ملاك
Brazilian Portuguese: anjo
Chinese: 天使
Croatian: anđeo
Czech: anděl
Danish: engel
Dutch: engel
European Spanish: ángel
Finnish: enkeli
French: ange
German: Engel
Greek: άγγελος
Italian: angelo
Japanese: 天使
Korean: 천사
Norwegian: engel
Polish: anioł
European Portuguese: anjo
Romanian: înger
Russian: ангел
Latin American Spanish: ángel
Swedish: ängel
Thai: เทวดา
Turkish: melek
Ukrainian: ангел
Vietnamese: thiên thần
All related terms of 'angel'
angel cake
a very light sponge cake made without egg yolks
angel dust
→ PCP 1
Angel Falls
a waterfall in SE Venezuela , on the Caron í River; regarded as the highest in the world . Height : 979 m (3212 ft)
angel gear
the neutral gear in a motor vehicle, esp when used to coast downhill
angel hair
a kind of pasta in the shape of very fine long strands
angel-noble
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
angel shark
any of several sharks constituting the family Squatinidae, such as Squatina squatina, that have very large flattened pectoral fins and occur in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
Blue Angel
→ The Blue Angel
Hell's Angel
a member of a motorcycle gang of a kind originating in California in 1948 who typically dress in denim and Nazi-style paraphernalia and are noted for their initiation rites , lawless behaviour, etc
angel investor
an investor in a business venture , esp one in its early stages
business angel
A business angel is a person who gives financial support to a commercial venture and receives a share of any profits from it, but who does not expect to be involved in its management .
guardian angel
A guardian angel is a spirit who is believed to protect and guide a particular person.
Recording Angel
an angel who supposedly keeps a record of every person's good and bad acts
a fallen angel
someone once good or successful who has become bad or unsuccessful
angel's tears
any of several night-blooming convolvulaceous plants, esp the white-flowered Calonyction (or Ipomoea ) aculeatum
destroying angel
a white slender very poisonous basidiomycetous toadstool , Amanita virosa, having a pronounced volva , frilled , shaggy stalk , and sickly smell
ministering angel
a spirit who is believed to look after the needs of a particular person or group
The Blue Angel
a legendary German expressionist film of 1930, the first major German sound film, starring Marlene Dietrich
angel food cake
a light, spongy , white cake made with egg whites and no shortening
angel-hair pasta
spaghetti made in very fine strands
fuzzy-wuzzy angel
any native of Papua New Guinea who assisted as a stretcher-bearer in World War II
PCP
p henyl c yclohexyl p iperidine (phencyclidine); a depressant drug used illegally as a hallucinogen
Angel of the North
a steel sculpture of an angel with outstretched wings, created in 1998 by British sculptor Antony Gormley , which stands on a hilltop outside Gateshead , NE England. It stands 20 m (85 ft) high and has a wingspan of 54 m (175 ft)
death cap
a poisonous woodland saprotrophic basidiomycetous fungus , Amanita phalloides, differing from the edible mushroom ( Agaricus ) only in its white gills (pinkish-brown in Agaricus ) and the presence of a volva
phencyclidine
p henyl c yclohexyl p iperidine (phencyclidine); a depressant drug used illegally as a hallucinogen
Chinese translation of 'angel'
angel
(ˈeɪndʒəl)
n(c)
(= spirit) 天使 (tiānshǐ) (个(個), gè)
(= kind person) 可爱(愛)的人 (kě'ài de rén) (个(個), gè)
1 (noun)
a choir of angels
Synonyms
divine messenger
spirit
cherub
archangel
seraph
spiritual being
guardian spirit
2 (noun)
Definition
a person who is kind, pure, or beautiful
(informal)
Thank you. You're an angel.
Synonyms
dear
Yes, my dear.
ideal
I didn't fit the American ideal of a leading man.
beauty
saint
treasure
Charlie? Oh he's a treasure, he's so kind.
darling
Hello, darling!
dream
This car really is a dream to drive.
jewel
Barbados is a perfect jewel of an island.
gem
Castel Clara was a gem of a hotel.
paragon
She was a paragon of neatness and efficiency.
He was not a paragon. He could never be perfect.
subject word lists
See names of angelsSee orders of angels
Quotation
Is man an ape or an angel? Now I am on the side of the angels [Benjamin Disraeli – Speech at Oxford Diocesan Conference]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of darling
Definition
a person very much loved: used as a term of address