cherub
/ˈtʃerəb/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈtʃerəb/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈcher-əb ˈche-rəb/ (ame, mw)
cherub — noun
- cherubsingular
- cherubsplural
1. a kind of angel that painters and sculptors usually show as a chubby naked baby
a kind of angel that painters and sculptors usually show as a chubby naked baby with little wings on its back.
Cherubs with golden wings floated across the painted ceiling of the old chapel.
plural subject in an art-description context
Sade pointed to a stone cherub holding a harp above the cathedral doorway.
premodifier: 'stone cherub' for sculpted form
The museum guide explained that each cherub in the fresco represented a different virtue.
Tiny cherubs decorated the corners of the wedding invitation Imran designed for his sister.
用法筆記
Most often appears in descriptions of European religious art, especially Renaissance and Baroque painting or sculpture; rarely used outside artistic or decorative contexts.
常見錯誤
2. a charming child who looks sweet and acts politely — often said warmly by adults
a charming child who looks sweet and acts politely — often said warmly by adults about a young child who is on their best behaviour.
Christopher sat quietly through the long dinner, a perfect little cherub in his Sunday clothes.
collocation: 'perfect little cherub' as warm praise
Aunt Eliska said her grandson was an absolute cherub all weekend at the lake house.
intensifier: 'absolute cherub' (informal praise)
Tariq is usually a cherub at school, but he gets restless on rainy afternoons.
The babysitter described the twins as cherubs who tidied up their toys without being asked.
- brat
informal: a badly-behaved or spoiled child
用法筆記
Subject is almost always a young child, and the speaker is usually an adult expressing affection or mild surprise at good behaviour; often used with positive intensifiers like 'perfect', 'absolute', or 'little'.