aura
1 Americannoun
plural
auras, aurae-
a distinctive and pervasive quality or character; air; atmosphere.
an aura of respectability;
an aura of friendliness.
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a subtly pervasive quality or atmosphere seen as emanating from a person, place, or thing.
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Pathology. a sensation, as of lights or a current of warm or cold air, preceding an attack of migraine or epilepsy.
noun
noun
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a distinctive air or quality considered to be characteristic of a person or thing
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any invisible emanation, such as a scent or odour
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pathol strange sensations, such as noises in the ears or flashes of light, that immediately precede an attack, esp of epilepsy
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(in parapsychology) an invisible emanation produced by and surrounding a person or object: alleged to be discernible by individuals of supernormal sensibility
Etymology
Origin of aura
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin, from Greek: “breath (of air)”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He had an aura, charisma about him and how he played the game.
From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026
“He has this crazy aura and energy about him,” said Byron.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026
Dubai’s entire economy has historically rested on an aura of safety—the promise that investors, businesses and tourists can operate freely because the Gulf remains a stable sanctuary.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026
The State of the Union is a moment when the president can project the exact aura he wants on a grand stage.
From Slate • Feb. 24, 2026
At night these houses glowed with the flickering yellow light of kerosene lanterns that lent the district an aura considered quaint—by those who didn’t have to live there.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.