Word.ws English Dictionary

celestial

Syllables: ce·les·ti·alUK/sɪˈlɛs.ti.əl//səˈlɛs.t͡ʃ(ə)l/

celestial adjective: of, relating to, or located in the sky or outer space, where the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars are visible.

celestial: of, relating to, or located in the sky or outer space, where the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars are...
Image: NASA/JPL/, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Adjective (1)

celestial (not generally comparable, comparative more celestial, superlative most celestial)

  1. (not comparable, usually) Of, relating to, or located in the sky or outer space, where the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars are visible.
    • [G]oe vvith ſpeede / To ſome forlorne and naked Hermytage, / Remote from all the pleaſurs of the vvorld: / There ſtay vntill the tvvelue Celeſtiall Signes / Haue brought about the annuall reckoning.c. 1595–1596 (date written), W. Shakespere [i.e., William Shakespeare], A Pleasant Conceited Comedie Called, Loues Labors Lost. […] (First Quarto), London: […] W[illiam] W[hite] for Cut[h]bert Burby...
    • [W]e muſt of neceſſitie vſe the benefit of yeares, daies, hovvers, minutes, vvhich all grovve from cœleſtiall motion.1597, Richard Hooker, “Of Festivall Daies and the Natural Causes of Their Conuenient Institution”, in J[ohn] S[penser], editor, Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Iohn Windet...
    Synonyms:
    celest
  2. (archaic, humorous, not comparable, usually) Of a nose: upturned, as if towards the sky.
    • A Celestial Nose in a woman is very frequently an index of wit. […] A Celestial-nosed woman is only more witty than a similarly gifted man, because the impudence which it invariably indicates is backed by woman's ever-ready tact and quickness.1848, Eden Warwick [pseudonym; George Jabet], “Of Feminine Noses”, in Nasology: Or, Hints towards a Classification of Noses, London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 203
  3. (archaic, humorous, not comparable, often, usually) Of or relating to China; Chinese.
    • If there is a man in the Celestial Empire, who will lay his hand upon his breast, and declare in the presence of our God, that he hath derived more pleasure from truth than from lies, then let Rao-Gong-Fao be thrown on his belly, and let his back be channelled for a bamboo-bed.1829, Walter Savage Landor, “Conversation III. The King of Ava and Rao-Gong-Fao.”, in Imaginary Conversations of Literary Men and Statesmen, volume V (second series, volume II), London: James Duncan...
    • We ate chow-chow with chop-sticks in the celestial restaurants; […]1870–1871 (date written), Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], “”, in Roughing It, Hartford, Conn.: American Publishing Company [et al.], published 1872, →OCLC, page 396
  4. (comparable, figuratively, not comparable, usually) Extremely beautiful, good, or pleasurable; divine, heavenly, wonderful.
    • I think this a Pattern of a nevv Sort of Stile, not yet taken Notice of by the Criticks, vvhich is above the Sublime, and may be called the Celeſtial; that is, vvhen the moſt ſacred Phraſes appropriated to the Honour of the Deity are applied to a Mortal of Good Quality.1713 March 24 (Gregorian calendar), [Alexander Pope], “Monday, March 16. 1713.”, in The Guardian, number 4, London: […] J[acob] Tonson […]; and sold by A. Baldwin […], →OCLC, page [2], column 1
    • Dear Cecil: […] [W]hen are they in season and is there any way to judge which one to bring home? A really bad coconut is soooo yukky. But a really good coconut is so celestial. […] Sadie, Chicago. / Cecil replies: […] If you can hear the milk sloshing inside, odds are you’ve got a celestial coconut...1974 July 16, Cecil Adams [pseudonym], “The Straight Dope: How Can You Tell a Good Coconut from a Yukky One?”, in Chicago Reader, Chicago, Ill.: Chicago Reader, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the...
  5. (not comparable, usually) Of or relating to heaven as the place where deities (or the Christian God), spiritual beings, etc., exist; heavenly.
    • But ſome man will ſaye: howe ſhall the deed [the resurrection of the dead] aryſe? with what body ſhall they come? […] There are celeſtiall bodyes⸝ and there are bodyes terreſtriall: Butt the glory of the celeſtiall is one⸝ and the glory off the terreſtriall is another.1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, The Fyrst Pistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corrinthyans xv:[35 and 40], folio...
    • Thus ſhall my heart be ſtil combinde with thine, / Untill our bodies turne to Elements: / And both our ſoules aſpire celeſtiall thrones.c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC...
    Synonyms:
    celest
    1. (not comparable, usually) Of or relating to one or more deities, or the Christian God; divine, heavenly.
      • Deſire of Povver, on Earth a Vicious VVeed, / Yet, ſprung from High, is of Cæleſtial Seed: / In God 'tis Glory: And vvhen men Aſpire, / 'Tis but a Spark too much of Heavenly Fire.1681, [John Dryden], Absalom and Achitophel. A Poem, London: […] J[acob] T[onson] and are to be sold by W. Davis […], →OCLC, page 10
    2. (Mormonism, not comparable, usually) Of or relating to the celestial kingdom, the highest degree of glory.
      • We are now living and obeying celestial laws that will make us candidates for celestial glory, or we are living terrestrial laws that will make us candidates for either terrestrial glory, or telestial law. The place we shall occupy in the eternal worlds will be determined by the obedience we yield...1947 April 4, Harold B[ingham] Lee, “Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles”, in One Hundred Seventeenth Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Held in the Tabernacle...
      • As young people growing up in this upside-down world, you have quite a challenge confronting the various pressures of modern-day life. How will you make it through your teenage years spiritually prepared for your celestial future? How will you connect your celestial goals with your everyday life?1997 October 4, Richard J. Maynes, “The Sustaining of Church Authorities and Officers [Elder Richard J. Maynes]”, in Official Report of the One Hundred Sixty-seventh Semiannual General Conference of...

Adverb

celestial (comparative more celestial, superlative most celestial)

  1. Synonym of celestially (“in a celestial manner (adjective senses)”).
    • There young Telemachus, his bloomy face / Glovving cæleſtial-ſvveet vvith godlike grace, / Amid the Circle ſhines: but hope and fear / (Painful viciſſitude!) his boſom tear.1725, Homer, “Book I”, in [Elijah Fenton], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume I, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC, page 22, lines 148–151
    Synonyms:
    celestially

Noun (1)

celestial (plural celestials)

  1. An inhabitant of heaven.
    • [K]ing Joue frõ [from] golden throne vproſe / whom home to heauenly court celeſtials garding at did cloſe.1560 August 21 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Virgil, “The Tenth Boke”, in Thomas Phaer, transl., The Nyne Fyrst Bookes of the Eneidos of Virgil Converted into Englishe Vearse […], with So Muche...
    • [T]hat graceful VVoman, vvith her Daughters about her, appeared to me vvith greater Dignity than ever any Figure, either of Venus attended by the Graces, Diana vvith her Nymphs, or any other Celeſtial vvho ovves her Being to Poetry.1713 March 30 (Gregorian calendar), [Richard Steele], “Thursday, March 19. 1713.”, in The Guardian, number 7, London: […] J[acob] Tonson […]; and sold by A. Baldwin […], →OCLC, page [1], column 1
  2. (in plural) A thing from heaven; also, a heavenly quality.
    • The tabernacle alſo & al the veſſel of the miniſterie he in like maner ſprinkled vvith bloud. And al things almoſt according to the lavv are cleanſed vvith bloud: and vvithout ſheading of bloud there is not remiſſion. It is neceſſarie therfore that the examplers of the cœleſtials be cleanſed vvith...1582, The Nevv Testament of Iesus Christ: […] (Douay–Rheims Bible), Rheims: Iohn Fogny, →OCLC, Hebrewes 9:21–23, page 622
  3. (dated, figuratively) A person who is extremely beautiful, of high status, or intelligent, etc.
    • Cast a firm glance also on those notable men, who, though not achieving any valuable positive results of speculation, were useful in their day, as protesting against widespread popular error, and rousing people into trains of more consistent thinking and acting. […] [Y]ou will feel only too...1874, John Stuart Blackie, “The Culture of the Intellect”, in On Self-culture: Intellectual, Physical, and Moral: A Vade Mecum for Young Men and Students, New York, N.Y.: Scribner, Armstrong, and...
  4. (obsolete) Sometimes in the form Celestial: a native of China; a Chinese person.
    • Three celestials died during the voyage, and, in accordance with the contract, their remains were embalmed and carried on to China. […] [T]he Chinese attach great importance to certain religious offices being performed in presence of the dead man's relics, or at the spot where they are buried, by...1897, J[oseph] Ll[ewelyn] Thomas, “The North Pacific”, in Journeys among the Gentle Japs in the Summer of 1895 […], London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company […], →OCLC, pages 23–24

Noun (2) capitalized: Celestial

Celestial (plural Celestials)

  1. (historical) a person from the Celestial Empire (usually associated with the period of the Qing Dynasty)
    • However, with true Celestial pertinacity, `John' has stuck to his work.1887, Harriet W. Daly, Digging, Squatting, and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia, page 256
    • Kharbin[…]
      It is quite a modern Russian town having been founded in 1899 as a centre for the administration of the East China Railyway and the civil and military control of Manchuria. The Celestials call it Ha-êrh-pin. The city was officially opened to international trade on the 14th January 1907...1912, Northern China, The Valley of the Blue River, Korea, Hachette & Company, →OCLC, page 255

Adjective (2) capitalized: Celestial

Celestial (comparative more Celestial, superlative most Celestial)

  1. (poetic) Coming from or having to do with Fredericton, New Brunswick.

celestial meaning in Hindi, Tamil, Urdu and Bengali

celestial in Hindi

of, relating to, or located in the sky or outer space
आकाशीय ākāśīya, आसमानी āsmānī, अलौकिक alaukik

celestial in Tamil

வானுலகு, பாத்திரம், நபர்

celestial in Urdu

of, relating to, or located in the sky or outer space
آسْمانی āsmānī

celestial in Bengali

স্বর্গীয়, মহাজাগতিক
More languagesFewer languages
celestial in Malayalam
ആകാശത്തെ സംബന്ധിച്ച, സ്വർഗ്ഗീയമായ, ദിവ്യമായ
celestial in Kannada
ಬಾನಿನ
celestial in Punjabi
ਅਸਮਾਨੀ asamānī
celestial in Gujarati
આકાશીય ākāśīya
celestial in Sanskrit
द्युक्ष dyukṣá, स्वर्ग svargá, सौर saura, सरस्वती sárasvatī
celestial in Arabic
سَمَاوِيّ samāwiyy
celestial in Malay
langit, samawi

Examples of celestial in a sentence

  • [H]e possessed the most delightful chinoiseries—trophies of his sojourn in the Celestial Empire: […]1878 July–October, Henry James, Jr., chapter VI, in The Europeans. A Sketch. […], volume I, London: Macmillan and Co., published 1878...
  • But as this style of padlock is found to be the almost universal one now in China, one is tempted to ask who was the first and true inventor, Roman or Celestial?1893 April 12 (date delivered), Harry W[ithers] Chubb, “The Construction of Locks and Safes”, in Journal of the Society of Arts, volume...
  • But a really good coconut is so celestial. […] Sadie, Chicago. / Cecil replies: […] If you can hear the milk sloshing inside, odds are you’ve got a celestial coconut rather than a yukky one.1974 July 16, Cecil Adams [pseudonym], “The Straight Dope: How Can You Tell a Good Coconut from a Yukky One?”, in Chicago Reader, Chicago...
  • But farre above in ſpangled ſheen, / Celeſtiall Cupid her [Venus's] fam'd Son advanc't, / Holds his deare Pſyche ſvveet intranc't […]1634 October 9 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), [John Milton], edited by H[enry] Lawes, A Maske Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634...

All 40 example sentences with celestial

Synonyms of celestial

30 more synonymsFewer synonyms

All synonyms of celestial

Forms of celestial

Adjective
comparativemore celestial
superlativemost celestial
alternative formcælestial
alternative formcælestiall
alternative formcelestiall
alternative formcœlestial
comparativemore Celestial
superlativemost Celestial
Adverb
comparativemore celestial
superlativemost celestial
Noun
pluralcelestials
alternative formCelestial
pluralCelestials
alternative formcelestial

Origin of celestial

The adjective is derived from Late Middle English celestial (“relating to the heavens or sky; (Christianity) relating to heaven, divine, heavenly”), borrowed from Old French celestial (modern French céleste), from Medieval Latin caelestiālis (“celestial”), or directly from its etymon Latin caelestis (“of or in the heavens, heavenly; (figurative) of the gods, divine; etc.”), from caelum (“heaven; sky”) (ultimate etymology uncertain, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *kéh₂ilom (“whole”)) + -estris (suffix meaning ‘dwelling or located in’ forming adjectives from nouns). The adverb and noun are derived from the adjective. Adjective sense 2.2 (“of or relating to China”) and noun sense 3 (“native of China”) refer to Celestial Empire (a calque of Mandarin 天朝 (Tiāncháo, “(literary) the Chinese Empire, China”), from 天 (tiān, “heaven; sky”) + 朝 (cháo, “dynasty; emperor’s reign; imperial court; etc.”)), a dated name for China when it was subject to imperial rule.

From the Celestial Empire, a colloquialism for the Chinese Empire / Empire of China / Imperial China.

After the name Celestial City.

Words formed from celestial

Phrases with celestial

Questions about celestial

What does celestial mean?
Celestial means of, relating to, or located in the sky or outer space, where the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars are visible.
What is celestial in Hindi?
Celestial in Hindi is आकाशीय (ākāśīya), आसमानी (āsmānī), अलौकिक (alaukik). See Celestial meaning in Hindi.
How do you use celestial in a sentence?
[H]e possessed the most delightful chinoiseries—trophies of his sojourn in the Celestial Empire: […]
What part of speech is celestial?
Celestial can be an adjective, an adverb or a noun.
How do you pronounce celestial?
Celestial is pronounced /sɪˈlɛs.ti.əl/ (UK).

Words near celestial in the dictionary

  1. celesta
  2. celestas
  3. celeste
  4. celestes
  5. Celestia
  6. celestial
  7. celestial blue
  8. celestial bodies
  9. celestial body
  10. Celestial City
  11. celestial crown

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: celestial (page history and authors); Celestial (page history and authors); celestial (Tamil Wiktionary) (page history and authors); celestial (Bengali Wiktionary) (page history and authors); celestial (Malayalam Wiktionary) (page history and authors); celestial (Kannada Wiktionary) (page history and authors); द्युक्ष (Sanskrit) (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-celestial.wav.

Cite this entry: “celestial.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/celestial. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.