halo

¹

[hey-loh]

noun

plural

halos, haloes 

1. Also called nimbus. a geometric shape, usually in the form of a disk, circle, ring, or rayed structure, traditionally representing a radiant light around or above the head of a divine or sacred personage, an ancient or medieval monarch, etc.

2. an atmosphere or quality of glory, majesty, sanctity, or the like.

   The "profession" of a medieval lord cast a halo around him and made him a ruler of men.

3. Meteorology.,  any of a variety of bright circles or arcs centered on the sun or moon, caused by the refraction or reflection of light by ice crystals suspended in the earth's atmosphere and exhibiting prismatic coloration ranging from red inside to blue outside (corona ).

4. Astronomy.,  a spherical cloud of gas clusters and stars that form part of a spiral galaxy.

5. any of various other things resembling a halo, especially a lighter or differently colored area surrounding an object.

   I think the scab was from some kind of bite, and now there's a halo around it with bruising.

6. Also called Cellini's halo. Heiligenschein.

7. an undesirable bright or dark ring surrounding an image on the fluorescent screen of a television tube, due to some fault either in transmission or reception.

verb (used with object)

haloed, haloing 

1. to surround with a halo.

verb (used without object)

haloed, haloing 

1. to form a halo.

halo-

²

1. a combining form meaning “salt,” used in the formation of compound words (halophyte ); sometimes specialized as a combining form of halogen (halothane ).

halo-

¹

combining form

1. indicating salt or the sea

   halophyte

2. relating to or containing a halogen

   halothane

halo

²

/ ˈheɪləʊ /

noun

1. a disc or ring of light around the head of an angel, saint, etc, as in painting or sculpture

2. the aura surrounding an idealized, famous, or admired person, thing, or event

3. a circle of light around the sun or moon, caused by the refraction of light by particles of ice

4. astronomy a spherical cloud of stars surrounding the Galaxy and other spiral galaxies

verb

1. to surround with or form a halo

halo

1. A hazy ring of colored light in the sky around the Sun, Moon, or a similar bright object. A halo is caused by the reflection and refraction of light through atmospheric ice crystals.

Other Word Forms

• unhaloed adjective
• halo-like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of halo¹

First recorded in 1555–65; from Latin, accusative of halōs “circle around the sun or moon,” from Greek hálōs “threshing floor; grain on a threshing floor; shield; halo”

Origin of halo²

< Greek, combining form of háls salt

Word History and Origins

Origin of halo¹

from Greek hals, hal- sea, salt

Origin of halo²

C16: from Medieval Latin, from Latin halōs circular threshing floor, from Greek

Example Sentences

Rising gold prices may also be having a halo effect on jewelry.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Mapplethorpe genuflects at the altar of that icon with a platinum portrait of Warhol, backed by a halo of light and surrounded by silk panels that form a cross.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Not that he has turned in his halo.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

One could scarcely see past all the crowns, roses, shamrocks, halos, piles of gold, angel wings, laurel leaves, roaring lions—the list went on and on.

Read more on Literature

Mr. Lloyd’s buttery tone is set within soaring lines, circular loops and halos of sound from Mr. Sewell’s custom-made electric guitar, and answered by delicate figures from Mr. Moran’s piano.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal