The adjective is derived from Late Middle English celestial (“relating to the heavens or sky; (Christianity) relating to heaven, divine, heavenly”), borrowed from Old French celestial (modern French céleste), from Medieval Latin caelestiālis (“celestial”), or directly from its etymon Latin caelestis (“of or in the heavens, heavenly; (figurative) of the gods, divine; etc.”), from caelum (“heaven; sky”) (ultimate etymology uncertain, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *kéh₂ilom (“whole”)) + -estris (suffix meaning ‘dwelling or located in’ forming adjectives from nouns). The adverb and noun are derived from the adjective. Adjective sense 2.2 (“of or relating to China”) and noun sense 3 (“native of China”) refer to Celestial Empire (a calque of Mandarin 天朝 (Tiāncháo, “(literary) the Chinese Empire, China”), from 天 (tiān, “heaven; sky”) + 朝 (cháo, “dynasty; emperor’s reign; imperial court; etc.”)), a dated name for China when it was subject to imperial rule.
Usually Of, relating to, or located in the sky or outer space, where the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars are visible.
[G]oe vvith ſpeede / To ſome forlorne and naked Hermytage, / Remote from all the pleaſurs of the vvorld: / There ſtay vntill the tvvelue Celeſtiall Signes / Haue brought about the annuall reckoning.c. 1595–1596 (date written), W. Shakespere [i.e., William Shakespeare], A Pleasant Conceited Comedie Called, Loues Labors Lost. […] (First Quarto), London: […] W[illiam] W[hite] for Cut[h]bert Burby, published 1598, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii], signature I4, verso:
[W]e muſt of neceſſitie vſe the benefit of yeares, daies, hovvers, minutes, vvhich all grovve from cœleſtiall motion.1597, Richard Hooker, “Of Festivall Daies and the Natural Causes of Their Conuenient Institution”, in J[ohn] S[penser], editor, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Iohn Windet, […], →OCLC, book V, section 69, page 191:
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[T]he pictures of the cæleſtial globe vvere deſigned memoriæ cauſâ [for memory's sake], by the ſouthern Scythians, vvho dvvelt in Chaldæa, Armenia, &c.— […] [W]e mean to prove, that the ſouthern Scythians, from vvhom the Iriſh and primitive inhabitants of Britain are deſcended, vvere the authors or inventors of thoſe extraordinary figures on the cæleſtial charts, vvhich they drevv or painted as repreſentations of the things expreſſed by the vvord formed of the aſtronomical characters.1790, Charles Vallancey, “Of the Use and Application of the Cælestial Alphabet as an Astronomical Character; and of the Origin of the Figures on the Cælestial Globe”, in Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis. […] [Collection of Irish Matters], volume V, Dublin: […] R. Marchbank, […], →OCLC, pages 191–192:
He [Ebenezer Scrooge] then conveyed him and his sister into the veriest old well of a shivering best-parlour that ever was seen, where the maps upon the wall, and the celestial and terrestrial globes in the windows, were waxy with cold.1843 December 19, Charles Dickens, “Stave Two. The First of the Three Spirits.”, in A Christmas Carol. […], London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 55:
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Archaic, Humorous, Usually Of a nose: upturned, as if towards the sky.
A Celestial Nose in a woman is very frequently an index of wit. […] A Celestial-nosed woman is only more witty than a similarly gifted man, because the impudence which it invariably indicates is backed by woman's ever-ready tact and quickness.1848, Eden Warwick [pseudonym; George Jabet], “Of Feminine Noses”, in Nasology: Or, Hints towards a Classification of Noses, London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 203:
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Archaic, Humorous, Often, Usually Of or relating to China; Chinese.
If there is a man in the Celestial Empire, who will lay his hand upon his breast, and declare in the presence of our God, that he hath derived more pleasure from truth than from lies, then let Rao-Gong-Fao be thrown on his belly, and let his back be channelled for a bamboo-bed.1829, Walter Savage Landor, “Conversation III. The King of Ava and Rao-Gong-Fao.”, in Imaginary Conversations of Literary Men and Statesmen, volume V (second series, volume II), London: James Duncan, […], →OCLC, page 113:
We ate chow-chow with chop-sticks in the celestial restaurants; […]1870–1871 (date written), Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], “”, in Roughing It, Hartford, Conn.: American Publishing Company [et al.], published 1872, →OCLC, page 396:
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[H]e possessed the most delightful chinoiseries—trophies of his sojourn in the Celestial Empire: […]1878 July–October, Henry James, Jr., chapter VI, in The Europeans. A Sketch. […], volume I, London: Macmillan and Co., published 1878, →OCLC, page 246:
It is no wonder that loose, portable locks, like those used to secure baggage of all kinds in transit, should become well known and distributed, especially along the ancient lines of trade. But as this style of padlock is found to be the almost universal one now in China, one is tempted to ask who was the first and true inventor, Roman or Celestial?1893 April 12 (date delivered), Harry W[ithers] Chubb, “The Construction of Locks and Safes”, in Journal of the Society of Arts, volume XLI, number 2,108, London: […] [F]or the [Royal] Society [of Arts] by George Bell and Sons, […], published 14 April 1893, →OCLC, page 512, column 2:
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Figuratively, Usually Extremely beautiful, good, or pleasurable; divine, heavenly, wonderful.
I think this a Pattern of a nevv Sort of Stile, not yet taken Notice of by the Criticks, vvhich is above the Sublime, and may be called the Celeſtial; that is, vvhen the moſt ſacred Phraſes appropriated to the Honour of the Deity are applied to a Mortal of Good Quality.1713 March 24 (Gregorian calendar), [Alexander Pope], “Monday, March 16. 1713.”, in The Guardian, number 4, London: […] J[acob] Tonson […]; and sold by A. Baldwin […], →OCLC, page [2], column 1:
Dear Cecil: […] [W]hen are they in season and is there any way to judge which one to bring home? A really bad coconut is soooo yukky. But a really good coconut is so celestial. […] Sadie, Chicago. / Cecil replies: […] If you can hear the milk sloshing inside, odds are you’ve got a celestial coconut rather than a yukky one.1974 July 16, Cecil Adams [pseudonym], “The Straight Dope: How Can You Tell a Good Coconut from a Yukky One?”, in Chicago Reader, Chicago, Ill.: Chicago Reader, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 30 Mar 2023:
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Lifestyle, ReligionUsually Of or relating to heaven as the place where deities (or the Christian God), spiritual beings, etc., exist; heavenly.
But ſome man will ſaye: howe ſhall the deed [the resurrection of the dead] aryſe? with what body ſhall they come? […] There are celeſtiall bodyes⸝ and there are bodyes terreſtriall: Butt the glory of the celeſtiall is one⸝ and the glory off the terreſtriall is another.1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, The Fyrst Pistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corrinthyans xv:[35 and 40], folio ccxxxiij, verso:
Thus ſhall my heart be ſtil combinde with thine, / Untill our bodies turne to Elements: / And both our ſoules aſpire celeſtiall thrones.c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:
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But farre above in ſpangled ſheen, / Celeſtiall Cupid her [Venus's] fam'd Son advanc't, / Holds his deare Pſyche ſvveet intranc't […]1634 October 9 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), [John Milton], edited by H[enry] Lawes, A Maske Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634: […] [Comus], London: […] [Augustine Matthews] for Hvmphrey Robinson, […], published 1637, →OCLC; reprinted as Comus: […] (Dodd, Mead & Company’s Facsimile Reprints of Rare Books; Literature Series; no. I), New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1903, →OCLC, page 35:
[H]e [Jesus] charges them if at any time they come to offer with malice couchant in their breasts, that they should leave their gift at the Altar, and goe, be reconciled. […] It was spoken of the cælestiall temple, of which ours are adumbrations, or rather ours are the gates of that. Bethel or Gods house is the gate of Heaven.(Can we date this quote?), Jeremy Taylor, “On the Reverence due to the Altar”, in Reginald Heber, Charles Page Eden, editors, The Whole Works of the Right Rev. Jeremy Taylor, D.D. […], revised edition, volume V, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans; […], published 1849, →OCLC, page 324:
Alaſs poor Man, is the Cœleſtial Glory of ſo ſmall eſteem vvith him, that he counteth it, not vvorth running the hazards of a fevv difficulties to obtain it.1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, page 16:
Reaſon is the great diſtinction of human nature, the faculty by vvhich vve approach to ſome degree of aſſociation vvith celeſtial intelligences; […]1751 October 15 (Gregorian calendar), Samuel Johnson, “No. 162. Friday, October 5. 1751.”, in The Rambler, volume VII, Edinburgh: […] Sands, Murray, and Cochran; sold by W. Gordon, C. Wright, J. Yair, […], published 1752, →OCLC, page 23:
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Lifestyle, ReligionUsually Of or relating to one or more deities, or the Christian God; divine, heavenly.
Deſire of Povver, on Earth a Vicious VVeed, / Yet, ſprung from High, is of Cæleſtial Seed: / In God 'tis Glory: And vvhen men Aſpire, / 'Tis but a Spark too much of Heavenly Fire.1681, [John Dryden], Absalom and Achitophel. A Poem, London: […] J[acob] T[onson] and are to be sold by W. Davis […], →OCLC, page 10:
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Lifestyle, ReligionMormonism, Usually Of or relating to the celestial kingdom, the highest degree of glory.
We are now living and obeying celestial laws that will make us candidates for celestial glory, or we are living terrestrial laws that will make us candidates for either terrestrial glory, or telestial law. The place we shall occupy in the eternal worlds will be determined by the obedience we yield to the laws of these various kingdoms during the time we have here in mortality upon the earth.1947 April 4, Harold B[ingham] Lee, “Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles”, in One Hundred Seventeenth Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Held in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Utah: April 4, 5 and 6, 1947: With Report of Discourses, Salt Lake City, Utah: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 46:
As young people growing up in this upside-down world, you have quite a challenge confronting the various pressures of modern-day life. How will you make it through your teenage years spiritually prepared for your celestial future? How will you connect your celestial goals with your everyday life?1997 October 4, Richard J. Maynes, “The Sustaining of Church Authorities and Officers [Elder Richard J. Maynes]”, in Official Report of the One Hundred Sixty-seventh Semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Held in the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, Utah: October 4 and 5, 1997, Salt Lake City, Utah: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, →OCLC, page 40, column 1:
The adjective is derived from Late Middle English celestial (“relating to the heavens or sky; (Christianity) relating to heaven, divine, heavenly”), borrowed from Old French celestial (modern French céleste), from Medieval Latin caelestiālis (“celestial”), or directly from its etymon Latin caelestis (“of or in the heavens, heavenly; (figurative) of the gods, divine; etc.”), from caelum (“heaven; sky”) (ultimate etymology uncertain, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *kéh₂ilom (“whole”)) + -estris (suffix meaning ‘dwelling or located in’ forming adjectives from nouns). The adverb and noun are derived from the adjective. Adjective sense 2.2 (“of or relating to China”) and noun sense 3 (“native of China”) refer to Celestial Empire (a calque of Mandarin 天朝 (Tiāncháo, “(literary) the Chinese Empire, China”), from 天 (tiān, “heaven; sky”) + 朝 (cháo, “dynasty; emperor’s reign; imperial court; etc.”)), a dated name for China when it was subject to imperial rule.
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Synonym of celestially (“in a celestial manner (adjective senses)”).
There young Telemachus, his bloomy face / Glovving cæleſtial-ſvveet vvith godlike grace, / Amid the Circle ſhines: but hope and fear / (Painful viciſſitude!) his boſom tear.1725, Homer, “Book I”, in [Elijah Fenton], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume I, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC, page 22, lines 148–151:
celestial
noun
Etymology
The adjective is derived from Late Middle English celestial (“relating to the heavens or sky; (Christianity) relating to heaven, divine, heavenly”), borrowed from Old French celestial (modern French céleste), from Medieval Latin caelestiālis (“celestial”), or directly from its etymon Latin caelestis (“of or in the heavens, heavenly; (figurative) of the gods, divine; etc.”), from caelum (“heaven; sky”) (ultimate etymology uncertain, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *kéh₂ilom (“whole”)) + -estris (suffix meaning ‘dwelling or located in’ forming adjectives from nouns). The adverb and noun are derived from the adjective. Adjective sense 2.2 (“of or relating to China”) and noun sense 3 (“native of China”) refer to Celestial Empire (a calque of Mandarin 天朝 (Tiāncháo, “(literary) the Chinese Empire, China”), from 天 (tiān, “heaven; sky”) + 朝 (cháo, “dynasty; emperor’s reign; imperial court; etc.”)), a dated name for China when it was subject to imperial rule.
[K]ing Joue frõ [from] golden throne vproſe / whom home to heauenly court celeſtials garding at did cloſe.1560 August 21 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Virgil, “The Tenth Boke”, in Thomas Phaer, transl., The Nyne Fyrst Bookes of the Eneidos of Virgil Converted into Englishe Vearse […], with So Muche of the Tenthe Booke, as since His Death coulde be Founde in Vnperfit Papers at His House in Kilgarran Forest in Penbroke Shyre, London: […] Rouland Hall, for Nicholas Englande, published 1562, →OCLC, signature [Ff.iv.], verso:
[T]hat graceful VVoman, vvith her Daughters about her, appeared to me vvith greater Dignity than ever any Figure, either of Venus attended by the Graces, Diana vvith her Nymphs, or any other Celeſtial vvho ovves her Being to Poetry.1713 March 30 (Gregorian calendar), [Richard Steele], “Thursday, March 19. 1713.”, in The Guardian, number 7, London: […] J[acob] Tonson […]; and sold by A. Baldwin […], →OCLC, page [1], column 1:
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No ſooner vvere they of age to be received into the apartments of the other celeſtials, than VVit began to entertain Venus at her toilet, by aping the ſolemnity of Learning; and Learning to divert Minerva at her loom, by expoſing the blunders and ignorance of VVit.1750 June 12 (Gregorian calendar), Samuel Johnson, “No. 22. Friday, June 2. 1750.”, in The Rambler, 2nd edition, volume I, Edinburgh: […] Sands, Murray, and Cochran; sold by W. Gordon, C. Wright, J. Yair, […], published 1751, →OCLC, pages 174–175:
For the celestials communicate by the psychic dispatch. Scriptures prove that.1913, Horace Coffin Stanton, Telepathy of the Celestial World: […], New York, N.Y.: Fleming H. Revell Company, →OCLC, page x:
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Lifestyle, ReligionIn plural A thing from heaven; also, a heavenly quality.
The tabernacle alſo & al the veſſel of the miniſterie he in like maner ſprinkled vvith bloud. And al things almoſt according to the lavv are cleanſed vvith bloud: and vvithout ſheading of bloud there is not remiſſion. It is neceſſarie therfore that the examplers of the cœleſtials be cleanſed vvith theſe: but the cœleſtials them ſelues vvith better hoſtes than theſe.1582, The Nevv Testament of Iesus Christ: […] (Douay–Rheims Bible), Rheims: Iohn Fogny, →OCLC, Hebrewes 9:21–23, page 622:
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Dated, Figuratively A person who is extremely beautiful, of high status, or intelligent, etc.
Cast a firm glance also on those notable men, who, though not achieving any valuable positive results of speculation, were useful in their day, as protesting against widespread popular error, and rousing people into trains of more consistent thinking and acting. […] [Y]ou will feel only too painfully that you cannot always lay hold of them in the first stage of your studies; you will require steps to mount up to shake hands with these Celestials; and these steps are little books.1874, John Stuart Blackie, “The Culture of the Intellect”, in On Self-culture: Intellectual, Physical, and Moral: A Vade Mecum for Young Men and Students, New York, N.Y.: Scribner, Armstrong, and Company, →OCLC, paragraph X, page 39:
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Obsolete Sometimes in the form Celestial: a native of China; a Chinese person.
Three celestials died during the voyage, and, in accordance with the contract, their remains were embalmed and carried on to China. […] [T]he Chinese attach great importance to certain religious offices being performed in presence of the dead man's relics, or at the spot where they are buried, by surviving relatives and descendants.1897, J[oseph] Ll[ewelyn] Thomas, “The North Pacific”, in Journeys among the Gentle Japs in the Summer of 1895 […], London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company […], →OCLC, pages 23–24:
Celestial
noun
Etymology From the Celestial Empire, a colloquialism for the Chinese Empire / Empire of China / Imperial China.
1
Historical a person from the Celestial Empire (usually associated with the period of the Qing Dynasty)
However, with true Celestial pertinacity, `John' has stuck to his work.1887, Harriet W. Daly, Digging, Squatting, and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia, page 256:
Kharbin[…] It is quite a modern Russian town having been founded in 1899 as a centre for the administration of the East China Railyway and the civil and military control of Manchuria. The Celestials call it Ha-êrh-pin. The city was officially opened to international trade on the 14th January 1907, in accordance with the terms of the Chino-Japanese treaty of the 22nd December 1905.1912, Northern China, The Valley of the Blue River, Korea, Hachette & Company, →OCLC, page 255:
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The Celestial was a smart old coot, too. I recall a cowboy who had a violent toothache, went in to try and fool him and told ‘Doc’ Hay he was plenty sick, […]1952 January 25, “HISTORY: Ing ‘Doc’ Hay is dead”, in Blue Mountain Eagle, archived from the original on 21 May 2018: