Having qualities associated with a cherub; innocent, pure, angelic, or having a sweet, youthful appearance.
From 'cherub' (from Hebrew 'kerub,' originally a protective spirit) plus the suffix '-ic' (making it an adjective). The word entered English through Late Latin and Greek via theological and artistic contexts.
The image of 'cherubic' children appears constantly in Renaissance and Baroque art, particularly Raphael's famous cherub painting—this artistic tradition shaped what Europeans came to understand 'innocent' and 'pure' to look like.
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