aura

¹ American  

[awr-uh] / ˈɔr ə /

noun

plural

auras, aurae

1. a distinctive and pervasive quality or character; air; atmosphere.

   an aura of respectability;

   an aura of friendliness.

2. a subtly pervasive quality or atmosphere seen as emanating from a person, place, or thing.

3. Pathology. a sensation, as of lights or a current of warm or cold air, preceding an attack of migraine or epilepsy.

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Aura ² American  

[awr-uh] / ˈɔr ə /

noun

Classical Mythology.

1. a companion of Artemis who bore twins to Dionysus. Zeus changed her into a spring because, in a fit of madness, she had killed one of her children.

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aura British  

/ ˈɔːrə /

noun

1. a distinctive air or quality considered to be characteristic of a person or thing

2. any invisible emanation, such as a scent or odour

3. pathol strange sensations, such as noises in the ears or flashes of light, that immediately precede an attack, esp of epilepsy

4. (in parapsychology) an invisible emanation produced by and surrounding a person or object: alleged to be discernible by individuals of supernormal sensibility

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Etymology

Origin of aura

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin, from Greek: “breath (of air)”

Explanation

You know that intangible glow, that certain magical something that your mom gives off? Get your glasses fixed and you'll see the aura emanating from her head isn't her special powers — just your bad eyes. You may have heard the noun aura used to describe the atmosphere surrounding something magical, like a fairy, or around a living being, like the calm vibes emanating from a meditating yogi. But did you know that it can refer to the sensation — one of coolness or bright light — that’s experienced before the onset of a seizure or migraine? Aura can also apply to the force that some people believe radiates from living organisms as an indicator of their unique essence.

Example Sentences

That approach, he said, ran in contrast to the one it took in years past, where it limited availability for its more fashionable products “to maintain an aura of coolness around the brand.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

That context starts with archival footage of French-colonized Algeria in the 1930s, the visuals speaking to both a humming aura of activity and the reality of who’s indigenous and who’s not.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

He had this aura about him, both on and off the pitch, but he didn't speak the most.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

Kapil Dev, MC Dhoni and Rohit Sharma were the only men to have led India to World Cup glory - three icons of Indian sport who led by aura.

From BBC • Mar. 8, 2026

She was holding two swords—long bronze scimitars that glowed with a weird greenish aura, boiling wisps of vapor that smelled sour and hot even across the yard.

From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• ambience
• aspect
• atmosphere
• feeling
• mood
• quality
• scent
• semblance
• tone