Angel
a messenger, one employed to carry a message, a minister or representative of God. In a special sense an angel is one of an order or spiritual beings superior to man in power and intelligence, vast in number, holy in character, and thoroughly devoted to the worship and service of God, who employs them as his heavenly messengers. Their existence is made known to us by Scripture, and is recognized also in the Parsee sacred books. The word is also applied to a spirit which has assumed the aspect of some human being.
Angel is likewise the name of a beautiful fish, which has its body covered with large green scales, and the laminæ above the gills armed with cerulean spines. It is one of the chætodons, and occurs on the coast of Carolina. It is quite different from the ANGEL FISH (q. v.). In numismatics, an angel is a gold coin, named from the fact that on one side of it was a representation of the Archangel Michael in conflict with the Dragon. The reverse had a ship with a large cross for the mast, the letter E on the right side, and a rose on the left; while against the ship was a shield with the usual arms. It was first struck in France in 1340, and was introduced into England by Edward IV. in 1465. Between his reign and that of Charles I. it varied in value from 6s. 8d. to 10s.