Angels are benevolent supernatural beings found in many religious and literary traditions, often depicted as messengers or guardians. The term also refers to a gentle, kind, or virtuous person, but commonly denotes celestial beings. In everyday use, it can describe someone who is extraordinarily good-natured or helpful, often in contexts like “an angel sent help.”
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"In the story, the angels guided the travelers to safety."
"She was an absolute angel, volunteering every weekend without complaint."
"The florist did an angelic job arranging the bouquet for the wedding."
"He described his late grandmother as an angel, always looking out for him."
The word angels comes from Old English angel, from Latin angelus, from Greek angelos, meaning messenger. The root idea is a messenger or envoy, particularly of divine origin. In early Christian writings, angel is used for celestial beings acting as messengers of God. The semantic arc moves from the generic sense of a messenger in classical languages to a specialized spiritual being in Judeo-Christian contexts. Over time, medieval translators and theologians solidified a structured hierarchy of angels (seraphim, cherubim, archangels), reinforcing the protective and communicative roles. In modern usage, “angel” broadens to metaphorically describe a kind, helpful person or a benevolent force, sometimes with a secular sense (as in “an angel in the hospital”). The journey from mythic messenger to everyday epithet reflects broader cultural shifts in how language compresses sacred imagery into familiar, human terms. First known written uses in English appear in the Old English corpus, with counterparts in Latin and Greek texts tracing the same root through centuries of religious and literary development.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "angels" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "angels" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "angels"
-les sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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You pronounce it as /ˈeɪn.dʒəlz/ in most varieties, with primary stress on the first syllable. The first syllable sounds like the long A in ‘bay,’ followed by a nasalized 'n' and a soft 'j' as in ‘judge.’ The final -z is voiced. In careful speech, you’ll reserve vowel length to the diphthong in the first syllable; the middle 'g' is subtle, often just a soft 'j' sound, and the 'l' is light before the final z. Audio references: check Cambridge or Forvo entries for the US/UK variants to hear ɛn-jer-in subtlety if you need.
Common issues: 1) Pronouncing the middle consonant cluster as 'ngj' or 'nj' instead of the smooth 'nj' sound; 2) Slurring the 'l' into the final 'z' (l+z can blend unusually). Correction: keep /ŋ/ as nasal before /dʒ/ and produce a clean light /l/ before the /z/. Ensure you voice the final /z/ rather than an /s/ if you’re in a voiceless environment. Practice slowly: /ˈeɪn.dʒəlz/ with even energy on each segment.
In US English, the first syllable has a clear /eɪ/ diphthong and an unreduced /l/ before the /z/. UK English keeps the same /ˈeɪn.dʒəlz/ rhythm but often has less postvocalic vowel length differences. Australian English tends to have a slightly flatter /eɪ/ and a crisper /dʒ/ transition; final /z/ can be realized with a touch of voicing difference depending on speaker. In all variants, the primary stress remains on the first syllable.
The difficulty lies in the /ˈeɪn/ sequence followed by /dʒ/ consonant cluster and the final /əlz/. The /dʒ/ is a voiced postalveolar affricate that blends naturally with the preceding vowel; speakers often mispronounce it as /nɡ/ or misplace the tongue for /l/ before /z/. Focus on a brief contact for /dʒ/ and keep /l/ light, with the final /z/ clearly voiced. IPA cues: ensure you hear /ˈeɪn.dʒəlz/ with accurate voicing on /dʒ/ and /z/.
Angels is notable for its non-stressed second syllable redaction and the transition from a nasal glide to a syllabic consonant cluster: /ˈeɪn.dʒəlz/. The 'dʒ' sound links the nasal onset to the alveolar 'l,' and the following 'z' requires voicing without a strong stop. A practical tip: practice the sequence slowly as three distinct phonemes, then connect them smoothly for natural rhythm.
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