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angel

Etymology and origin of the English word angel

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
c. 950
From
Old English engel via Middle English
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek (ἄγγελος)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈeɪn.dʒəl/[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English angel, aungel, inherited from Old English engel, fused about 1300 with Old French angele,[2][3] both from Late Latin angelus,[2][3][4] from Greek Ancient Greek ἄγγελος (ángelos, “messenger”).[2][3][5] The Old English word was one of the earliest Germanic borrowings from Latin.[4] In the Septuagint the Greek word translated Hebrew mal'akh “messenger”.[3][2][6] Its own origin is uncertain: Beekes compares Greek ángaros “Persian mounted courier”, of Iranian origin, while Klein suggests Semitic sources.[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

A divine messenger, one of an order of spiritual beings attending God: about 950 in the OED.[7] The fallen angels are also from about 950.[7]

Semantic evolution

Old English also called an angel aerendgast, literally “errand-spirit”.[2] A guardian spirit is from 1382.[7] Of persons, someone lovely or gracious, it is by the 1590s.[2] The angel was also an English gold coin, first struck in 1465 by Edward IV, stamped with the archangel Michael killing the dragon.[2][5][8] In slang, a financial backer, especially of a theatrical production, is from 1885, and the verb “to finance” from 1904 (1929 in the OED).[8][7][6] Angel food cake is by 1881 and angel dust from 1968.[2] Angelic is from about 1385, in Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 950 – a divine messenger.[7]
  • c. 1300 – the form angel.[2][3]
  • 1382 – a guardian spirit.[7]
  • 1465 – the gold coin.[2]
  • 1590s – a lovely person.[2]
  • 1885 – a financial backer.[8]
  • 1929 – verb, to finance.[7][6]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A spiritual being believed to serve God as a messenger or attendant, often shown with wings.
  2. A very kind or good person.
  3. (informal) A person who gives money to support a play or business.
  4. A former English gold coin.

Verb

  1. (informal) To provide money for a play or business.

Word family

  • angelic
  • angelically
  • angelhood
  • angelfish
  • angelology
  • archangel
  • angel of death
  • destroying angel
  • Angelus
  • evangel
  • evangelist

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  4. ^ a b Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b Cresswell, Julia (2021), Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  6. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  8. ^ a b c Kay, Christian; Roberts, Jane; Samuels, Michael; Wotherspoon, Irené, eds. (2009), Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford: Oxford University Press; online edition (2024)

Related etymologies

  • hungry · also from Old English
  • temple · also from Old English
  • castle · also from Old English
  • elsewhere · also from Old English
  • suck · also from Old English
  • belt · also from Old English
  • wire · also from Old English
  • rear · also from Old English
Cite this entry

“Angel.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/angel. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·