Origin: Latin suffix -al
Celestial has 7 different meanings across 1 category:
An inhabitant of heaven.
"The celestial envoy arrived in Beijing to deliver an imperial decree on behalf of the emperor."
A native of China.
a person from the Celestial Empire (usually associated with the period of the Qing Dynasty)
In plain English: A celestial body is any object that exists in space, such as stars and planets.
"The ancient astronaut claims to have seen two celestial bodies in the sky that night."
Synonym of heavenly: of or related to Heaven and the divine.
"The celestial choir sang praises that seemed to come directly from Heaven."
In plain English: Celestial means relating to outer space, stars, and other things found up high in the sky.
"The astronaut stared up at the bright, celestial moon hanging in the dark sky."
Usage: Use "celestial" when referring specifically to astronomical bodies like stars, planets, or the sky itself rather than general spiritual concepts. Avoid using it as a direct substitute for "heavenly" in casual contexts describing pleasant weather or simple beauty.
The word comes from the Latin caelestis, meaning "of the sky" or "heavenly." A separate usage refers to China, derived from its historical title, the Celestial Empire.