angelica: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low-frequency / SpecializedFormal / Technical (botanical, culinary); Neutral (as a name)
Quick answer
What does “angelica” mean?
A tall, aromatic plant of the parsley family, with large leaves and greenish-white flower clusters, often candied for culinary use or used in herbal medicine.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A tall, aromatic plant of the parsley family, with large leaves and greenish-white flower clusters, often candied for culinary use or used in herbal medicine.
Refers to the plant (Angelica archangelica) itself, its candied stems used as cake decoration, its extracts used in flavoring (especially in gin and liqueurs), or a female given name.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical, though the candied form may be slightly more common in traditional British baking (e.g., Christmas cakes). The name is used in both cultures.
Connotations
Botanical: Neutral/technical. Culinary: Traditional, old-fashioned, sweet. As a name: Classic, somewhat literary or old-fashioned elegance.
Frequency
Low frequency in both dialects. More likely encountered in specific contexts (gardening, gourmet cooking, herbalism, or as a person's name).
Grammar
How to Use “angelica” in a Sentence
garnish with [angelica]decorated with [candied angelica]flavoured with [angelica]the [angelica] plantVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “angelica” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (No standard verb form)
American English
- (No standard verb form)
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverb form)
American English
- (No standard adverb form)
adjective
British English
- (No standard adjective form. The related adjective is 'angelic'.)
American English
- (No standard adjective form. The related adjective is 'angelic'.)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except potentially in herbal supplement, distillery, or gourmet food industries.
Academic
Used in botany, pharmacology, and culinary arts papers.
Everyday
Rare. Most likely in contexts of baking, gardening, or discussing names.
Technical
Standard in botanical taxonomy, herbal medicine, and professional cookery.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “angelica”
- Misspelling as 'angelica' (correct) vs. 'anglica' or 'angelika'.
- Confusing the plant name with the adjective 'angelic' (e.g., 'She has an angelica smile').
- Incorrect capitalization when referring to the plant (should be lowercase).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Capitalize it only when it is a person's name (e.g., 'My friend Angelica'). When referring to the plant, use lowercase (e.g., 'Add some angelica to the recipe').
The fresh stems can be peeled and eaten, but they are quite bitter. It is most commonly encountered candied (cooked in sugar syrup) as a decorative confectionery.
It has a unique, strong, sweet-herbal, slightly musky, and earthy flavour with a hint of juniper or pine. The candied version is sweet with a mild herbal aftertaste.
The name derives from Medieval Latin 'herba angelica' (angelic herb), stemming from a legend that an angel revealed its medicinal properties to a monk. It is not directly named after celestial angels.
A tall, aromatic plant of the parsley family, with large leaves and greenish-white flower clusters, often candied for culinary use or used in herbal medicine.
Angelica is usually formal / technical (botanical, culinary); neutral (as a name) in register.
Angelica: in British English it is pronounced /anˈdʒɛlɪkə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ænˈdʒɛlɪkə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(no common idioms)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine an ANGEL decorating a cake with green, candied stems of ANGELica.
Conceptual Metaphor
PLANT IS A PERSON (via its name, derived from 'angelic').
Practice
Quiz
In which of the following contexts is the word 'angelica' LEAST likely to be used correctly?