cherubic
adj/t͡ʃɪˈɹuː.bɪk/ · /t͡ʃəˈɹuː.bɪk/
Etymology From cherub + -ic.
1
Of, or relating to a cherub; angelic.
- His unruly hair was slicked down with water, and as Jessamy introduced him to Miss Brindle his face assumed a cherubic innocence which would immediately have aroused the suspicions of anyone who knew him.1967, Barbara Sleigh, Jessamy, Sevenoaks, Kent: Bloomsbury, published 1993, →ISBN, page 96:
- There wasn't a room that had not been clad, picture-railed, dadoed, panelled, stained, gilded, bordered and generally made over to within an inch of its life - can I interest anyone in a gold cherubic sconce?2000 September 23, Michele Jenkinson, “West Country Living: My blind date with my new home”, in The Daily Telegraph, London: Telegraph Media Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 28 Mar 2026:
3 more examples
- the flyaway pale curls and his round, cherubic face2019, pukner, A Nanny? In MY Summoning Circle?, ArchiveOfOurOwn:
- “Hey, sweet-cheeks! Can you take my order real quick?” “Hi. Sure thing.” “Sorry--” “What can I get you?” “Uh, mixed green salad, and we'll do the garlic zoodles.” “Zoodles. Good choice.” “Thank you.” “(inhales deeply) "Good choice."” (indistinct chatter) “Zoodles are zucchini noodles.” “"Sweet cheeks"? Seriously, dude?” “She had cherubic cheeks. It's a compliment.” “"Sweet cheeks" is your butt.” “No, it's not.” “It is. It's like calling somebody, I don't know, "sugar tits."” “That's totally inappropriate.”2022 January 13, James Gunn, “A Whole New Whirled” (26:41 from the start), in Peacemaker, season 1, episode 1, spoken by Peacemaker (John Cena):
- On-screen, the actor Elle Fanning has the cherubic, moon-eyed guilelessness of a storybook princess or an animated woodland creature, the kind that belies a character much more tenacious than she first appears.2026 April 23, Sophie Gilbert, “Life Isn’t Easy in the OnlyFans Economy”, in Jeffrey Goldberg, editor, The Atlantic, Washington, D.C.: The Atlantic Monthly Group, →ISSN, →OCLC:
2
Of, or like a baby; infantile
- Derived terms
- cherubically, uncherubic