seraphic

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English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Medieval Latin seraphicus, from Late Latin seraphīm, seraphīn, from Hebrew שָׂרָף (saráf, “seraph”). Surface etymology seraph +‎ -ic.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /səˈɹæf.ɪk/
  • Rhymes: -æfɪk
  • Hyphenation: se‧raf‧ic

Adjective

seraphic (comparative more seraphic, superlative most seraphic)

  1. Of or relating to a seraph or the seraphim.
    the Seraphic Doctor, title given to the Italian medieval theologian Bonaventure
    • 1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC, lines 536–539:
      Who forthwith from the glittering Staff unfurld / Th’ imperial Enſign, which full high advanc’t / Shon like a Meteor ſtreaming to the Wind / With Gemms and Golden luſtre rich imblaz’d, / Seraphic arms and Trophies : all the while / Sonorous metal blowing Martial ſounds […]
    • 1739, John Wesley, “God’s Greatness”, in Hymns and Sacred Poems, 4th edition, Bristol: Felix Farley (1743), page 108:
      Ye Hoſts that to his Courts belong, / Cherubic Quires, Seraphic Flames, / Awake the everlaſting Song.
  2. Pure and sublime; angelic.
    • 1684, Aphra Behn, Love-Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister, London: Randal Taylor, pp. 90-91,[1]
      A thousand times he was like to have denyed all, but durst not defame the most sacred Idol of his Soul: Sometimes he thought his Uncle would be generous, and think it fit to give him Silvia; but that Thought was too Seraphick to remain a Moment in his Heart.
    • 1782, Thomas Pennant, The Journey from Chester to London, London: B. White, Part 2, p. 407,[2]
      Their passion seems to have been of the seraphic kind. She devoted herself to religion, and persuaded him to do the same.
    • 1864, Robert Browning, “Gold Hair” in Dramatis Personæ, London: Chapman & Hall, p. 27,[3]
      Too white, for the flower of life is red;
      Her flesh was the soft, seraphic screen
      Of a soul that is meant (her parents said)
      To just see earth, and hardly be seen,
      And blossom in Heaven instead.
    • 1958, T. H. White, The Once and Future King, London: Collins, 1959, Chapter 5,[4]
      She had a seraphic smile on her face.
    • 2012, Paul Lester, “Schoolboy Q (No 1,193),” The Guardian, 25 January, 2012,[5]
      So instead of Tesfaye’s seraphic warble, Hanley offers earthier, gruffer tones: you get the impression, considering the casual sexism and more conventional machismo on display here, that the rarefied, stylised and feminised would be unacceptable in his world.

Translations

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