Forms: 5–6 angelyk(e, 6 aungelyke, 6–7 angelike, -ique, 6–8 -ick, 7 angellike, 7– angelic. [ad. Fr. angelique, ad. L. angelic-us, a. Gr. ἀγγελικ-ός, f. ἀγγελ-ος ANGEL.] A. adj.
1. Of or pertaining to angels; of angel kind.
1485. Caxton, St. Wenefr., 20. This said the angelyk visyon vanysshed away.
1635. A. Stafford, Fem. Glory (1869), 136. Th’ Angellike Quire did greet their New-Borne King.
1667. Milton, P. L., X. 18. From Paradise in hast Th’angelic guards ascended, mute and sad.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 6, ¶ 3. His [Satan’s] Wit and Angelick Faculties.
1865. R. W. Dale, Jew. Temple, ii. (1880), 24. Angelic messengers conversed with Abraham.
2. Like an angel; hence, of superhuman nature, intelligence, innocence, purity, sweetness.
c. 1510. More, Picus, Wks. 1557. 4/2. Many noble bokes, whiche well testifie his angelike wit.
c. 1520. W. de Worde, Treat. Galaunt (1860), 15. Our aungelyke abstynence is nowe refused.
1550. J. Coke, Debate (1877), 109. England is a holy and angelique grounde, blyssed of God.
1667. Milton, P. L., V. 74. Happy creature, fair angelic Eve.
1712. Pope, Spect., No. 408, ¶ 4. As a Man inclines to the angelick or brute Part of his Constitution.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., IV. 550. His profligacy and insolence united had been too much even for the angelic temper of Tillotson.
3. Angelic doctor: title given to Thomas Aquinas; Angelic Salutation, the words addressed to the Virgin Mary by the angel Gabriel (Luke i. 28), the Ave Maria.
1657. S. Colvil, Whigs Suppl. (1751), 115. Aquinas new modell’d the school Divinity; wherefore he was call’d the Angelic Doctor.
1848. Gallenga, Italy, Past & Pr., I. 130. Dante was warm in the pursuit of this forbidden knowledge, as wild as any of the angelic or seraphic doctors that preceded him.
1868. R. Morris, Chaucer’s Boeth., Introd. 1. ‘The angelic’ Thomas Aquinas commented on him.
† B. sb. A worshipper of angels. Obs. rare.
1554. Philpot, Exam. & Writ. (1842), 420. Men which were called Angelicks, because they worshipped Angels.
