evangel

English

Etymology

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle English, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old French, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Late Latin evangelium, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Ancient Greek εὐαγγέλιον (euangélion, “good news”), from εὐάγγελος (euángelos, “bringing good news”), from εὖ (eû, “well”) + ἀγγέλλειν (angéllein, “to announce”) (English angel). The word gospel is from the same Ancient Greek origin, also meaning “good news”, but translated into Latin, then Old English.

Noun

evangel (plural evangels)

1. The Christian gospel.
   • 1843, Thomas Carlyle, Past and Present, book 3, ch. X, Plugson of Undershot

     If, at any time, a philosophy of Laissez-faire, Competition and Supply-and-demand, start up as the exponent of human relations, expect that it will soon end. […] Such philosophies will arise; be preached as Mammon-Gospels, the ultimate Evangel of the World […]

2. A salutary principle relating to morals, politics, etc.
3. An evangelist.

Related terms

• angel
• evangelism
• evangelist
• evangelization
• evangelize

Further reading

• “evangel”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “evangel”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “evangel”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.