halo
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.
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.
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 (distinguished from corona).
Astronomy. a spherical cloud of gas clusters and stars that form part of a spiral galaxy.
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.
Also called Cellini's halo . Heiligenschein.
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.
to surround with a halo.
to form a halo.
Origin of halo
1Other words from halo
- un·ha·loed, adjective
Other definitions for halo- (2 of 2)
a combining form meaning “salt,” used in the formation of compound words (halophyte); sometimes specialized as a combining form of halogen (halothane).
Origin of halo-
2- Also especially before a vowel, hal-.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use halo in a sentence
“You gotta play ‘halo’ for your angel-fish,” she instructs.
How Aidy Bryant Stealthily Became Your Favorite ‘Saturday Night Live’ Star | Kevin Fallon | October 31, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTFor Microsoft in 2014, this meant showing the new Call of Duty, a halo collection, and other entries in established franchises.
Maybe someday, the ARC4 system could even turn your walk to work into a game of halo.
Augmented Reality System Goes From Military to Market | Rose Eveleth | May 27, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTFunctionally, the end product makes walking around look a lot like playing a first-person shooter game like halo.
Augmented Reality System Goes From Military to Market | Rose Eveleth | May 27, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe star is the cream itself, as opulent as crème fraiche, with vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, etc., serving as a sort of halo.
The sun was on Evelyn Clifford's hair, burnishing it to a halo of gold under the white hat.
Rosemary in Search of a Father | C. N. WilliamsonWith the halo of this action still surrounding him, in March, 1796, he first came into direct connection with Bonaparte.
Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-PattisonFor one deathless moment his genius had carried him to the heights, and a white blaze of publicity had given him a halo of glory.
The Man from Time | Frank Belknap LongHer flower in one hand and the umbrella making a bright halo round her, she looks like a little idol from overseas.
Child Life In Town And Country | Anatole FranceThe revolution of 1688 dissipated the halo which had shed a fictitious light round the throne.
The English Church in the Eighteenth Century | Charles J. Abbey and John H. Overton
British Dictionary definitions for halo (1 of 2)
/ (ˈheɪləʊ) /
a disc or ring of light around the head of an angel, saint, etc, as in painting or sculpture
the aura surrounding an idealized, famous, or admired person, thing, or event
a circle of light around the sun or moon, caused by the refraction of light by particles of ice
astronomy a spherical cloud of stars surrounding the Galaxy and other spiral galaxies
to surround with or form a halo
Origin of halo
1Derived forms of halo
- halo-like, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for halo- (2 of 2)
indicating salt or the sea: halophyte
relating to or containing a halogen: halothane
Origin of halo-
2Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for halo
[ hā′lō ]
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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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