angelo Italian · revision 38165

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=late 12th or early 13th century, Ritmo cassinese|origins=grc ἄγγελος}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈan.d͡ʒe.lo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''angelo''' ''m'' (plural angeli)^(Wiktionary)

+ The Tuscan form is [[angiolo]], and the old popular form [[agnolo]], which Tommaseo still heard in 19th-century Tuscany.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) Old northern forms include [[vec|anzolo]] and ''ançolo'' and Milanese ''angin''.^(LEI)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la-lat|angelus|t=angel]], [[bor|grc|ἄγγελος|tr=ángelos|t=messenger, envoy]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)^(LEI) The Greek translators of the Old Testament used “ángelos” to render the Hebrew word for a messenger of God, and, from Christian Greek the sense passed into Christian Latin.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ Although it is a word of the Church, LEI notes that its sound development in Italian is the normal popular one.^(LEI) The same word is [[fr|ange]], [[oc|angel]], [[ca|àngel]], [[es|ángel]], [[pt|anjo]], [[sc|ànghelu]] and [[ro|înger]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(LEI)^(REW 1935)

+

+ The Greek word is probably a borrowing from an eastern language, like the Greek word for a mounted courier of the Persian king, the source of [[angheria]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(DELI 1999)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is in the Ritmo cassinese, of the late 12th or early 13th century, with the sense “a being between God and man”.^(DELI 1999)^(LEI) The TLIO's first record is in the Cremonese poet Uguccione da Lodi, early in the 13th century.^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Brunetto Latini wrote ''angiolo'' before 1294, Jacopone ''agnelo'' before 1306, and ''agnolo'' is found in Federico Frezzi before 1416.^(DELI 1999) Tommaseo noted in 1865 that Tuscans still said ''Agnolo'' and ''Michelagnolo'', although the artist's name was usually written ''Michelangelo'' and its adjective ''michelangiolesco''.^(DELI 1999)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ The figurative sense, a person of extraordinary virtue or beauty, is found as ''agnolo'' in Frezzi and as ''angelo'' in Paolo Segneri in 1679.^(DELI 1999) In the poetry of the Dolce Stil Novo the beloved lady is a ''donna angelo''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(TLIO) Old Italian also used the word for a French gold coin bearing an angel.^(TLIO)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ [[angelico|alt=Angelico]] is recorded from before 1250, in Giacomo da Lentini.^(DELI 1999) The plant [[angelica]] (before 1577) was named for its medicinal virtues, and [[angelus]], the prayer that begins ''Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae'', is recorded in 1863 and in 1875.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Late 12th or early 13th century – ''Angelo'' in the Ritmo cassinese.^(DELI 1999)^(LEI)

+ * Before 1250 – ''Angelico'' in Giacomo da Lentini.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini writes ''angiolo''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1306 – ''Agnelo'' in Jacopone da Todi.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1416 – ''Agnolo'' in Federico Frezzi, also for a person of angelic virtue.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1577 – ''Angelica'' as the name of a plant, in Pietro Andrea Mattioli.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1679 – ''Angelo'' for a person of great virtue or beauty in Paolo Segneri.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1875 – ''Angelus'' for the prayer in Luigi Settembrini.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(religion)'' An [[m|en|angel]]: a purely spiritual being created by God, his messenger and minister to humankind, usually shown as a beautiful winged youth.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # In the Old Testament, a superhuman being who acts as God's messenger.^(GRADIT 2003)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A person of great beauty, goodness or purity; also as a term of endearment: ''Grazie, sei un angelo!''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(figure skating)'' A figure done on one leg, with the other stretched out behind in line with the body.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(historical)'' An old gold coin of France and England bearing the image of an angel.^(GRADIT 2003)^(TLIO)

+ # ''(historical)'' A chain shot, two half cannonballs joined by a chain, used against the masts of sailing ships.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[angelico]]

+ * [[angelica]]

+ * [[angioletto]]

+ * [[angiolino]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[arcangelo]]

+ * [[angelus]]

+ * [[angheria]]

+ * [[grc|ἄγγελος|tr=ángelos]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases are ''angelo custode'' (guardian angel; jokingly, an escort or a police officer guarding a prisoner), ''angelo del focolare'' (the devoted housewife, now ironic), ''discutere sul sesso degli angeli'' (to argue about pointless questions) and ''lunedì dell'Angelo'' (Easter Monday).^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020) ''Angelo di mare'' is the angel shark.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(GRADIT 2003) ''Angelo'' is also a man's name.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}