Cherub

Quick meaning: Cherub is a noun meaning In later texts changed to a winged baby; in artistic depictions sometimes a baby's head with wings but no body.

Meaning

In later texts changed to a winged baby; in artistic depictions sometimes a baby's head with wings but no body.

More Meanings

1. (figuratively) A person, especially a child, seen as being particularly angelic or innocent.
2. (post-biblical) A winged angel, described by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite (c. 5th–6th century) as the second highest order of angels, ranked above thrones and below seraphim.
3. (biblical) A winged creature attending God and guarding his throne described as a being with four faces (man, lion, ox, and eagle), human hands, calf hooves, four wings, and many eyes. A description can be found in Ezekiel chapter 1 and Ezekiel chapter 10; similar to a lamassu (winged bull with a human torso) in the pre-exilic texts of the Hebrew Bible, more humanoid in later texts.

Example Sentences

Over the arcke were the cherubyns off glory shadowynge the seate of grace.

O Daughter of the Roſe, […] / Whoſe Face is Paradiſe, but fenc'd from Sin: / For God in either Eye has plac'd a Cherubin.

About his Chariot numberleſs were pour'd / Cherub and Seraph, Potentates and Thrones, / And Vertues, winged Spirits, and Chariots wing'd, […]

But I doubt not, that leathern tally, meant for man, was taken off in Heaven, when the white fowl flew to join the wing-folding, the invoking, and adoring cherubim!

Word Forms

• cherubs
• cherubim
• cherubims
• cherubin

Synonyms for cherub

Depending on context, synonyms include amoretto, cupid, putto, angel, innocent.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include amoretto, limitary, cherubin, seraph, seraphim, putto.

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