Dictionary
an•gel
Pronunciation: (ān'jul), [key]—
n.
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, esp. 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. Informal.a person who provides financial backing for some undertaking, as a play or political campaign.
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.
—
v.t.
Informal.to provide financial backing for.
An•gel
Pronunciation: (ān'jul; Sp. än-hel'), [key]—
n.
a male or female given name.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
