angelicus

Angelicus is a Latin adjective meaning "angelic" or "angel-like." In English-language use, it appears mainly in scholarly Latin phrases, scientific names, and literary or artistic contexts that seek to evoke an angelic quality.

Etymology and form: Angelicus derives from angelus (angel) with the adjectival suffix -icus. In Latin, adjectives agree with the gender of the noun they modify, yielding angelicus (masculine), angelica (feminine), and angelicum (neuter). The form is encountered in historical Latin texts as well as in modern scientific or stylistic names.

Taxonomic usage: In biology, angelicus is commonly used as a species epithet within binomial nomenclature. The epithet is chosen to convey a perceived angelic appearance, behavior, or association, and it agrees in gender with the genus name. The epithet itself does not designate a single taxon but is part of the two-word scientific name for a species or subspecies across various groups.

Cultural usage: The term appears in liturgical, devotional, and literary Latin to describe persons or objects with angelic attributes. In contemporary culture, angelicus or its variants may be used in titles, poetry, or music to evoke purity, beauty, or other angelic connotations.

See also: angel, angelic, Latin adjectives.