aureole
[ awr-ee-ohl ]
/ ˈɔr iˌoʊl /
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noun
a radiance surrounding the head or the whole figure in the representation of a sacred personage.
any encircling ring of light or color; halo.
Astronomy. corona (def. 3).
Geology. a zone of altered country rock around an igneous intrusion.
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Also au·re·o·la [aw-ree-uh-luh, uh-ree-]. /ɔˈri ə lə, əˈri-/.
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British Dictionary definitions for aureole
aureole
aureola (ɔːˈriːələ)
/ (ˈɔːrɪˌəʊl) /
noun
(esp in paintings of Christian saints and the deity) a border of light or radiance enveloping the head or sometimes the whole of a figure represented as holy
a less common word for halo
another name for corona (def. 2)
Word Origin for aureole
C13: from Old French auréole, from Medieval Latin (corōna) aureola golden (crown), from Latin aureolus golden, from aurum gold
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Scientific definitions for aureole
aureole
[ ôr′ē-ōl′ ]
A band of metamorphic rock surrounding a body of cooled magma. Aureoles form through the process of contact metamorphism. See more at contact metamorphism.
See corona.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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