(biblical) A burningserpent, often winged, with human hands and sometimes feet; one ofGod's entourage. On Earth, they strike with burning poison; in Heaven, with burning coal. A description can be found at the beginning ofIsaiah chapter 6.
(post-biblical) A six-wingedangel; one of the highestchoir or order of angels in Christianangelology, ranked abovecherubim, and below God.
From these uncordial reveries he is roused by a cordial slap on the shoulder, accompanied by a spicy volume of tobacco-smoke, out of which came a voice, sweet as aseraph's
FromKoine Greekσεράφ(seráph), back-formed fromσεραφείμ(serapheím) by analogy withBiblical Hebrewשְׂרָפִים(śərāp̄îm), the plural form ofשָׂרָף(śārāp̄,“burning one”), often translated as "fiery ones" although meaning is uncertain; perhaps related to the rootשרף(“to burn”).
