angel

angel · noun, verb¹

1. Anglo-Norman · derived fromangele
2. Ancient Greek · derived fromἄγγελος“messenger”
3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*angil
4. Latin · derived fromangelus
5. Old English · inherited fromanġel
6. Middle English · inherited fromaungel
7. English todayangel

Two Baroque angels from southern Germany, from the mid-18th century Etymology tree Ancient Greek ἄγγελος (ángelos)bor. Latin angelusbor. Proto-West Germanic *angil Old English enġel ▲ Latin angelusbor. Old English anġel Middle English aungel English angel From Middle English aungel, angel, from Old English anġel, either a modification of enġel after its etymon Latin angelus (through the intermediate of Proto-West Germanic *angil) or a reborrowing from the Latin, which is in turn from Ancient Greek ἄγγελος (ángelos, “messenger”); later reinforced by Anglo-Norman angele, angel, from the same Latin source. The religious sense of the Greek word first appeared in the Septuagint as a translation of the Hebrew word מַלְאָךְ (malʾāḵ, “messenger”) or מַלְאַךְ יהוה (malʾāḵ YHWH, “messenger of YHWH”). Doublet of Angelus. Use of the term in some churches to refer to a church official derives from interpreting the "angels" of the Seven churches of Asia in Revelation as being bishops or ministers rather than angelic beings.

angel · noun²

Clipping of Angelman.

Words from the same roots