aura
noun
a distinctive and pervasive quality or character; air; atmosphere.
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aura
1 American
[awr-uh]
/ หษr ษ /
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]
/ หษr ษ /
noun
Classical Mythology.
aura
British
/ หษหrษ /
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 1350โ1400; Middle English, from Latin, from Greek: โbreath (of air)โ
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 โ 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 โ one of coolness or bright light โ thatโs 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 โ one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
A Long Way Gone
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Scrabble: Four-Letter Words with 3 Vowels
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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:
A mystical aura filled the heat-wave-sweaty Kollegienkirche, a voluminous central Salzburg church.
From Los Angeles Times โ Aug. 10, 2026
“Everybody on the field can kind of feel this aura sitting on whatever side of the field he’s on,” offensive guard Kevin Dotson said.
From Los Angeles Times โ Aug. 2, 2026
Fashion business owner Jasmine, 27, said she had been attracted to 21-year-old Kavan's "aura" when speaking to Maya during the final.
From BBC โ Jul. 27, 2026
Or will her aura, the sheer sense of simply just being Serena Williams, be enough to carry her through the opening round at least?
From BBC โ Jun. 30, 2026
“Your aura is extremely purple,” says Elsie as she plops down at my table.
From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston
Finally, he discovers a Lenovo exhibit: “Is that the ThinkPad X9 15p Aura Edition, imagined with Intel…?” he asks.
From The Wall Street Journal โ Mar. 27, 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 โ Feb. 13, 2026
Jasmine said she was scammed after searching on X for tickets to 1Way X Aura Thorpe Park on 15 March.
From BBC โ May 1, 2025
“When I cut my hair, I feel like that aura has been turned up. Aura points going up ... My conversations are sharp. My thoughts are married to confidence. I speak directly.”
From Los Angeles Times โ Oct. 17, 2024
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 โ Dec. 17, 2020
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
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
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 โ Jan. 9, 2026
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 โ 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 โ Oct. 13, 2023
So now producers are resurrecting properties from when content was scarce enough to feel precious, and inviting us to watch as the associated celebrities reinfuse them with their auras.
From New York Times โ Dec. 22, 2021
Koffi's eyes went wide as pure light exploded from the once-tiny flickers and became magnificent auras of glittering gold.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, ยฉ Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritageยฎ Idioms Dictionary copyright ยฉ 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
