aura
noun
a distinctive and pervasive quality or character; air; atmosphere.
Trivia Time
Aura comes from a Greek word meaning what?
aura
1 American
[awr-uh]
/ ˈɔr ə /
noun
-
auras,
plural
-
aurae
plural
-
a distinctive and pervasive quality or character; air; atmosphere.
an aura of respectability;
an aura of friendliness.
-
a subtly pervasive quality or atmosphere seen as emanating from a person, place, or thing.
-
Pathology. a sensation, as of lights or a current of warm or cold air, preceding an attack of migraine or epilepsy.
Aura
2
American
[awr-uh]
/ ˈɔr ə /
noun
Classical Mythology.
aura
British
/ ˈɔːrə /
noun
-
a distinctive air or quality considered to be characteristic of a person or thing
-
any invisible emanation, such as a scent or odour
-
pathol strange sensations, such as noises in the ears or flashes of light, that immediately precede an attack, esp of epilepsy
-
(in parapsychology) an invisible emanation produced by and surrounding a person or object: alleged to be discernible by individuals of supernormal sensibility
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing aura
Matilda
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
A Long Way Gone
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Scrabble: Four-Letter Words with 3 Vowels
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Taking a nonjudgmental “everyone is welcome” stance while maintaining Orthodox observance and palpably expressed faith in God, Chabad attracts many Jews who gravitate to its aura of authenticity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
The expectation around Itauma will not disappear entirely overnight but the aura of invincibility has gone.
From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026
In Argentina, the reward is the mantle of having "infinite aura."
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
She has an obvious aura and instantly eases apprehension with humour.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
There was an aura of menace about her even at a distance, and when she came up close you could almost feel the dangerous heat radiating from her as from a red-hot rod of metal.
From "Matilda" by Roald Dahl
Jen Eaves has been taking a slower approach to her mother’s cognitive decline, even though she’s the vice president of marketing for Aura, an identity-theft monitoring service.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
"Aura is a lifestyle" that "almost no one understands," said the organizer of an upcoming battle in Buenos Aires.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
Aura makes heating equipment that is built into bigger industrial machines, such as presses, ovens and extruders—which make everything from plastic bags and window frames to car parts and snacks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026
Aura Salla, member of the European Parliament from Finland in the European People’s Party, said there is a growing acceptance that Europe needs technological sovereignty.
From Slate ● Feb. 13, 2026
I use the Aura arcana to extract the paint and coat the new body-shaped canvas, coloring it the same shade as the sand that lines the royal beach.
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
Kew expert Tuula Niskanen found two of the Scottish species, including Cortinarius aurae, which she named after her daughter, Aura.
From BBC ● Dec. 17, 2020
Just for a moment, one of the aurae became visible—an elfin girl in a white silk dress.
From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan
War banners rustled from cedar ceiling beams as aurae blew back and forth, keeping everyone’s plates full.
From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan
There was much talk of aurae at that time, and Fred mused that every beautiful, every compellingly beautiful woman, had an aura, whether other people did or no.
From The Song of the Lark by Willa Sibert Cather
These creations seem to glow, beckoning us toward their surfaces to be enveloped by the inviting auras they emit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 9, 2026
Ducrot’s installation underscored the theme of unique haute couture auras, garments that transcend fashion to reflect the wearer’s individuality.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 22, 2024
Mr Bravo-Hibberd had experienced personality changes for at least a year and suffered from headaches, taste auras and confusion for about two weeks prior to his diagnosis.
From BBC ● Dec. 7, 2023
In his classic 1935 essay, "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction," Walter Benjamin lamented the shrinkage of original works of art, whose auras depended on their uniqueness.
From Salon ● Oct. 13, 2023
Some people’s auras are very active, with tendrils and balls shooting off of them and landing on other people.
From "A Mango-Shaped Space" by Wendy Mass
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
