angelito

Spanish

Etymology

From ángel (“angel”) +‎ -ito (diminutive suffix).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /anxeˈlito/ [ãŋ.xeˈli.t̪o]
• Rhymes: -ito
• Syllabification: an‧ge‧li‧to

Noun

angelito m (plural angelitos, feminine angelita, feminine plural angelitas)

1. (colloquial) young child
2. (colloquial, euphemistic) recently deceased young child
3. Diminutive of ángel
   • 1969, Andrés Eloy Blanco, Manuel Álvarez Maciste (lyrics and music), “Angelitos Negros”, in First Take, performed by Roberta Flack:

     Aunque la virgen sea blanca / Píntale angelitos negros / Que también se van al cielo / Todos los negritos buenos

     Although the Virgin is white / Paint her with little black angels / That'll go to heaven as well / Like all good negritos

Derived terms

• sueña con los angelitos

 

Further reading

• “angelito”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014