cherub

noun

cher·​ub ˈcher-əb 

ˈche-rəb

plural cherubs or cherubim ˈcher-ə-ˌbim 

ˈker-

also ˈcher-yə-

1

cherubim plural : an order of angels see celestial hierarchy

2

plural usually cherubs

a

: a beautiful usually winged child in painting and sculpture

b

: an innocent-looking usually chubby and rosy person

This torrent of arcane football lingo spewed from the lips of a red-haired, freckle-faced cherub …

—Tim Layden

cherubic

chə-ˈrü-bik 

also ˈcher-ə-

adjective

cherubically

chə-ˈrü-bi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

cherublike

ˈcher-əb-ˌlīk 

adjective

Examples of cherub in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The president also installed a Walk of Fame featuring portraits of past presidents along the Colonnade, massive flagpoles on the north and south lawns and substantially overhauled the Oval Office through the addition of golden flourishes, cherubs and other, flashy items. —Will Weissert, Fortune, 23 Nov. 2025

The president also installed a Walk of Fame featuring portraits of past presidents along the Colonnade, massive flagpoles on the north and south lawns and substantially overhauled the Oval Office through the addition of golden flourishes, cherubs and other flashy items. —CBS News, 22 Nov. 2025

Oh, perfect naked cherubs running down the trail through the trees! —Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025

The newspaper, citing administration officials, reported that Trump had personally overseen the installation of the gold carvings on the Oval Office mantle and had brought gold cherubs from Mar-a-Lago to be installed in the White House. —MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek cheroub, from Hebrew kĕrūbh

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cherub

• carib
• carob

Kids Definition

cherub

noun

cher·​ub ˈcher-əb 

1

: a painting or drawing of a beautiful child usually with wings

2

: a chubby rosy child

cherubic

chə-ˈrü-bik 

adjective