• (RP, GA) enPR: chĕrʹəb, IPA: /ˈtʃɛɹəb/

cherub (plural cherubs)

1. (biblical) A winged#Adjective|winged creature attending on God, described by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite (circa2 5th–6th century) as the second high#Adjective|highest order#Noun|order of angels, rank#Verb|ranked above throne#Noun|thrones and below seraphim; similar to a lamassu in the pre-exilic text#Noun|texts of the Hebrew Bible, more humanoid in later texts.
   • [1526], [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamēt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], OCLC 762018299 ↗; republished as The New Testament of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: Published in 1526. […], London: Samuel Bagster, […], 1836, OCLC 679500256 ↗, The Pistle off Paul unto the Hebrues IX:[5], folio cxciiij, recto, page [486] ↗:

     Over the ark#English|arcke were the cherubyns off glory shadowynge the seate of grace.

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981 ↗, Genesis 3:24 ↗:

     So he [God] droue out the man [Adam#English|Adam]: and he placed at the East of the garden of Eden, Cherubims, and a flaming ſword, which turned euery way, to keepe the way of the tree of life.

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book VII ↗”, in Paradise Lost. A Poem Written in Ten Books, London: Printed [by Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […] [a]nd by Robert Boulter […] [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], OCLC 228722708 ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: The Text Exactly Reproduced from the First Edition of 1667: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554 ↗, lines 197–199:

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

   • 1700, [John] Dryden, “To Her Grace the Dutchess of Ormond ↗”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: Printed for Jacob Tonson, […], OCLC 228732415 ↗:

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

   • 1851 November 13, Herman Melville, “The Whiteness of the Whale”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, OCLC 57395299 ↗, page 210 ↗:

     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!

2. An artistic depiction of such a being#Noun|being, typically in the form of a winged child or a child's head#Noun|head with wing#Noun|wings but no body.

   Synonyms: amoretto, cupid, putto

   • 1831 October 30, [Mary Shelley], chapter I, in Frankenstein: Or, The Modern Prometheus (Standard Novels; IX), 3rd edition, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], OCLC 858441409 ↗, [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=emu.000011593191;view=1up;seq=40 page 22]:

     When my father returned from Milan, he found playing with me in the hall of our villa a child fairer than pictured cherub – a creature who seemed to shed radiance from her looks and whose form and motions were lighter than the chamois of the hills.

3. (figuratively) A person, especially a child, seen as being particularly angelic or innocent#Adjective|innocent.

   Synonyms: angel, innocent

   • c. 1603–1604, William Shakespeare, The Tragœdy of Othello, the Moore of Venice. […] (First Quarto), London: Printed by N[icholas] O[kes] for Thomas Walkley, […], published 1622, OCLC 724111485 ↗, [Act IV, scene ii], page 71 ↗:

     Patience, thou young and rose-lipp'd Cherubin.

   • c. 1605–1608, William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act IV, scene iii], page 91 ↗, column 1:

     This fell whore of thine, / Hath in her more deſtruction then thy Sword, / For all her Cherubin looke.

• French: chérubin
• German: Cherub, Kerub
• Italian: cherubino
• Portuguese: querubim
• Russian: херуви́м
• Spanish: querubín

• French: chérubin
• Portuguese: querubim
• Russian: херуви́м

• French: chérubin
• Portuguese: anjo, anjinho
• Russian: ангело́к