Meaning & use
ministering angel
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Meanings
nouncountableliterary
A kind person, especially a woman, who cares for sick or suffering people.
Grammar: Countable; used mainly in literary or religious writing. Often appears as "a ministering angel" or "ministering angels."
Patterns
- a ministering angel
- ministering angels
The old nurse was a ministering angel to the wounded soldiers.
In the poem, a ministering angel comes to comfort the dying man.
She visited the sick every day and was called a ministering angel by the villagers.
nouncountablereligionliterary
In religious writing, a spirit or angel sent by God to help people.
Grammar: Countable; used in religious contexts. Often with "of" to show whom the angel helps.
Patterns
- a ministering angel of something
- ministering angels from heaven
The book describes ministering angels who guard the faithful.
He prayed for a ministering angel to guide him through his troubles.
Word forms
| plural | ministering angels |
|---|
Common combinations
- a ministering angel to someone
- She was a ministering angel to her elderly neighbors.
- act as a ministering angel
- During the epidemic, many volunteers acted as ministering angels.
- like a ministering angel
- He appeared at her door like a ministering angel with food and medicine.
- a true ministering angel
- The doctor called her a true ministering angel for her tireless care.
Synonyms and how they differ
- good Samaritan
- A good Samaritan helps strangers in trouble, while a ministering angel often cares for the sick over time and sounds more literary.
- caregiver
- Caregiver is a neutral, everyday word for someone who looks after a person; ministering angel is admiring and old-fashioned.
- guardian angel
- A guardian angel is believed to protect a particular person, often spiritually; a ministering angel focuses on giving care and comfort.
Word family
- minister verb
- To give help or care to someone, especially in a religious or official role.
- ministration noun
- The act of giving help or care, often in a religious setting.
- angelic adjective
- Like an angel; very good, kind, or beautiful.
Commonly confused: ministering angel or guardian angel?
ministering angel vs guardian angel
A guardian angel protects a person, often from harm, while a ministering angel gives care and comfort to the sick. The two phrases are sometimes mixed up.
Practice
In the novel, the young woman is described as a ministering angel ___ the poor.
Choose one answer.
"A ministering angel to someone" is the usual pattern when saying who receives the care. "For" can sometimes appear but is less idiomatic here; "with" and "at" do not fit this structure.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “ministering angel”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.