cherub
/ˈtʃɛrəb
/noun (plural cherubim)
1A winged angelic being described in biblical tradition as attending on God, represented in ancient Middle Eastern art as a lion or bull with eagles' wings and a human face and regarded in traditional Christian angelology as an angel of the second highest order of the ninefold celestial hierarchy.From top to bottom, the celestial hierarchy includes seraphim, cherubim, thrones; dominions, virtues, powers; principalities, archangels, and angels....
- So with all the angels and saints, with the cherubim and seraphim, let's all bow down in worship before the Lamb of God, who has ransomed us from death and brought us into his eternal kingdom!
- Third, Satan was the anointed cherub.
Synonyms
angel, seraph
1.1 (plural cherubim /ˈtʃɛrəbɪm/ or cherubs) A representation of a cherub in Western art, depicted as a chubby, healthy-looking child with wings.The existence of the tiles depicting the cherubim is fully explained....
- The chubby cherub can put in a good word with God.
- She smiled, and looked very much like a pink-haired version of the cherubs in Michelangelo's ceiling in the Sistine Chapel.
1.2 (plural cherubs) A beautiful or innocent-looking child: a wistful cherub of eighteen months, photographed at her playgroup...
- He was a proper cherub with beautiful blond hair and blue eyes.
- Fleshy babies and fresh-cheeked cherubs vie for attention.
- For just two minutes now, she'd held the tiny cherubs in her arms.
Synonyms
baby, infant, toddler, little one;
pretty child, lovable child, well behaved child, innocent child;
little angel, little dear, little darling
informal kid, tot, tiny tot, tiny
literary babe, babe in arms
Origin
Old English cherubin, ultimately (via Latin and Greek) from Hebrew kĕrūḇ, plural kĕrūḇīm. A rabbinic folk etymology, which explains the Hebrew singular form as representing Aramaic kĕ-raḇyā 'like a child', led to the representation of the cherub as a child.
Old English cherubin is ultimately (via Latin and Greek) from Hebrew kerūb̄, plural kerūb̄īm. A rabbinic folk etymology, which explains the Hebrew singular form as representing Aramaic ke-rab̄yā ‘like a child’, led to the representation of the cherub as a child.