cherub

Cherub (plural cherubim) is a term used in Judaism and Christianity to denote a class of celestial beings. It derives from Hebrew keruv/karuv, through Greek cherub and Latin cherubin. In the Hebrew Bible, cherubim are guardians of sacred spaces and of the way to the Tree of Life. In Exodus, two gold cherubim are described as figures with outspread wings covering the mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant; their presence signifies divine holiness and protection. In Ezekiel, the cherubim are described as "living creatures" with multiple faces and wheels, and some scholars identify these beings with the biblical cherubim.

In Christian tradition, cherubim come to be regarded as a high order of angels, sometimes listed among the nine choirs; they are commonly associated with knowledge, light, and guardianship of holy things. Medieval and Renaissance art often depicts them in various forms, sometimes with multiple faces or animal features, reflecting imaginative symbolism rather than a single fixed image. By contrast, popular art has often conflated cherubim with putti—winged, childlike figures—creating a common but inaccurate association between sacred beings and secular decoration.

In modern usage, cherub commonly denotes innocent or benevolent heavenly beings in literature and popular culture, while scholarly treatment emphasizes their biblical roots and the distinctions among angelic hierarchies. The concept is treated differently across traditions; in Judaism the term remains closely tied to sanctuary imagery, whereas in much of Christianity it has come to symbolize a higher order of angels and their guardianship of sacred mysteries.