archangel
|arch-an-gel|
🇺🇸
/ˈɑr.tʃeɪn.dʒəl/
🇬🇧
/ˈɑːtʃ.eɪn.dʒəl/
chief angel
Etymology
'archangel' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'archangelos,' where the prefix 'arch-' meant 'chief' and 'angelos' meant 'messenger/angel'.
'archangel' changed through Late Latin as 'archangelus' and then into Old French and Middle English before becoming the modern English word 'archangel'.
Initially, it meant 'chief messenger' (chief of the messengers); over time it came to mean 'chief angel' or a high-ranking angel, and later also acquired figurative senses for leading or dominant persons.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a chief or principal angel, often one of the highest rank in Christian and Jewish angelology (e.g., Michael, Gabriel).
In Christian tradition, Michael is regarded as an archangel.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/04 14:54