angel
B1Neutral to formal (religious/figurative); informal (financial).
Definition
Meaning
A spiritual being believed to act as a messenger, servant, or guardian for God, typically represented in human form with wings.
A person who is exceptionally kind, pure, or beautiful; a financial backer for a theatrical production, venture, or start-up (informal).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The primary religious sense is concrete and countable ('the angel Gabriel'). The figurative sense ('she's an angel') is highly positive but can be clichéd. The financial sense is informal business jargon.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. The informal term 'angel dust' for PCP is more common in AmE news reporting.
Connotations
Identical strong positive connotations in figurative use. Financial 'angel investor' is slightly more established in AmE venture capital lexicon.
Frequency
Comparatively high and similar frequency in both varieties, given religious and common figurative usage.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[be] + angel + of + [noun phrase] (He was an angel of mercy)[verb] + like + an + angel (She sings like an angel)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a guardian angel”
- “on the side of the angels”
- “fools rush in where angels fear to tread”
- “enough to make the angels weep”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Informal: 'angel investor' (a person who invests personal capital in a startup).
Academic
In religious studies, theology, art history, and literature discussing celestial beings.
Everyday
Common in figurative praise ('You're an angel for helping!') and religious contexts.
Technical
Specific classifications in Christian angelology (e.g., archangel, principality).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- To angel a show in the West End requires significant capital.
- (Rare/niche) They hoped to angel the new playwright's work.
American English
- He decided to angel the Broadway production.
- Venture capitalists often angel promising tech companies.
adverb
British English
- (Not standard; 'angelically' is used) She sang angelically.
American English
- (Not standard; 'angelically' is used) He smiled angelically at the camera.
adjective
British English
- She had an angelic face.
- His patience was positively angelic.
American English
- The child's angelic smile melted their hearts.
- She performed the task with angelic patience.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My little sister is an angel when she sleeps.
- The Christmas card had a picture of an angel.
- Many people believe everyone has a guardian angel.
- You're an angel for bringing me soup when I was ill.
- The startup secured funding from an angel investor in Silicon Valley.
- In the painting, an angel is seen descending from heaven.
- The critic described her voice as possessing an almost angelic purity that transcended the mundane lyrics.
- The venture relied on a syndicate of angel investors before seeking institutional capital.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'ANGEL' as 'A Noble Guardian Everlasting & Loving'.
Conceptual Metaphor
GOODNESS/PURITY IS HEAVENLY (ANGELIC); A HELPFUL PERSON IS AN ANGEL; INNOCENCE IS ANGELIC.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'angel' for 'angle' (угол). The words are 'false friends' (ангел vs. угол).
- The Russian diminutive 'ангелочек' maps directly to 'little angel' but can sound more saccharine in English.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'angle'.
- Overusing the figurative sense, making praise sound insincere.
Practice
Quiz
In informal business English, an 'angel' is most likely to be:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While its primary meaning is religious, it is very commonly used figuratively to describe a very kind person and informally in finance ('angel investor').
They are completely different words. An 'angel' is a spiritual being or a kind person. An 'angle' is a geometric space between two intersecting lines. They are frequent spelling confusion.
Yes, but it is niche and informal, meaning to provide financial backing for a project, especially in theatre or business (e.g., 'He angeled the show'). The adjective 'angelic' is far more common.
Literally, it refers to an angel who has been cast out of heaven (like Lucifer). Figuratively, it can describe a person or institution that was once highly respected but has now failed or become corrupt.