Raphaelite
/ˌræfəˈlaɪt/noun
Relating to Raphael, especially his art, artistic followers, or a style modeled on him.
Did you know?In the biblical Book of Tobit, Raphael is an archangel who heals—making the artistic term quietly carry a centuries-old association with divine medicine.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Hebrew
Hebrew
רְפָאֵל (Rĕfāʼēl)
“A personal name meaning “God has healed” or “God heals,” from r-p-ʾ, “to heal,” plus “El,” God.”
Hellenistic Greek
Greek
Ῥαφαήλ (Rhaphaḗl)
“Greek form of the biblical name Raphael.”
Late Antiquity
Latin
Raphael
“Latin form of the archangel’s name, preserved in Christian biblical and theological writing.”
15th–16th Century
Italian
Raffaello
“Italian form of Raphael, famously borne by the Renaissance painter Raffaello Sanzio.”
19th Century
English
Raphaelite
“An English formation combining Raphael with the suffix “-ite,” meaning a follower, adherent, or person associated with him or his style.”
Modern English
English
Raphaelite
“Relating to Raphael, his artistic manner, or people influenced by his work.”