aureole

American  

[awr-ee-ohl] / ˈɔr iˌoʊl /

Also aureola

noun

• aureoles
  plural

1. a radiance surrounding the head or the whole figure in the representation of a sacred personage.

2. any encircling ring of light or color; halo.

3. Astronomy. corona.

4. Geology. a zone of altered country rock around an igneous intrusion.

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aureole British  

/ ˈɔːrɪˌəʊl, ɔːˈriːələ /

noun

1. (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

2. a less common word for halo

3. another name for corona

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• aureoles
  plural

Etymology

Origin of aureole

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Latin aureola (corona) “golden (crown),” equivalent to aure(us) “golden” ( see aureate) + -ola, feminine of -olus noun suffix ( see -ole ¹)

Explanation

In art, the circle of light painted or drawn around the heads of religious figures to indicate their divine nature is called an aureole. It comes from the Latin word aureus, which means golden, and aureoles are often created in golden hues. The meaning of the noun aureole has extended to mean anything that resembles the sort of artistic circle of light that surrounds something. The term is frequently used when describing hair. If you have light-colored hair, in the sunlight, it may look like your head is surrounded by a shimmering aureole. The luminous circle around the sun visible during a solar eclipse is also called an aureole.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

aureole aureoles

And everything is framed by an aureole of crisp fern leaves reaching to the canvas’s edges — a many-pointed crown.

From New York Times ● Sep. 29, 2022

The heart of “Aeronauts,” not surprisingly, is what happens as the balloon goes higher and higher, as salutations like “clouds ahoy” are exchanged and wonders like an aureole or circular rainbow are observed.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 5, 2019

That will allow the heat to extend farther into the country rock, creating a larger aureole.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015

“I love you, Papa,” she said, her smile an aureole of smeared toothpaste and happiness.

From Nature ● Mar. 12, 2014

"Do not let us discuss my health," Mrs. Hamilton went on scorching her eyebrows in the aureole of martyrdom she wore.

From Poor Relations by Compton MacKenzie

What remains are assembled pieces of natural wood — here, lengthy shims and wedges — now glued together to form sunbursts and aureoles.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 14, 2018

David Hertzberg’s “Ellébore” was a pretty little thing about a flower in the snow, with icy piano figures throwing off little cold aureoles of notes from the violins.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 31, 2017

When contact metamorphism occurs deeper in the Earth, metamorphism can be seen as rings of facies around the intrusion, resulting in aureoles.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2017

Contact metamorphic aureoles are typically quite small, from just a few centimetres around small dykes and sills, to as much as 100 m around a large stock.

From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2015

The dolls have crowns and aureoles,   Helmets and horns and wings.

From The Wild Knight and Other Poems by G. K. (Gilbert Keith) Chesterton