Jump to:

• halo
  halo

  noun

  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.
• halo-
  halo-

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

halo

¹ American  

[hey-loh] / ˈheɪ loʊ /

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 (distinguished from 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 American  

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 British  

/ 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- ² British  

combining form

1. indicating salt or the sea

   halophyte

2. relating to or containing a halogen

   halothane

---

halo Scientific  

/ hā′lō /

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

• halo-like adjective
• unhaloed adjective

Etymology

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 halo-²

< Greek, combining form of háls salt

Explanation

A glowing light that circles something, like the moon or a person's head is a halo. Painters of religious art often put a halo around the heads of angels and saints. A halo is a symbol of holiness, represented by a circle or arc of light around the head of a saint or holy person. Any circle of light can be described as a halo, even in a non-religious context; sometimes you'll see a glowing halo of light around the moon, for example. The word halo also means "glory or majesty," a symbolic halo rather than a physical one. The Greek halos means "ring of light around the sun or moon."

Example Sentences

Gemmill says the appearance of a halo behind Robby's head may not have been planned by director John Wells, an executive producer of the series, "but I think it's certainly fortuitous."

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

A standard feature is the halo, a clearly defined sphere that sits like a buttered bonnet on the head of the saint.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

The Moon appeared to them as a black orb surrounded by a halo of light, all set against the backdrop of the vast darkness of space.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

"Our measurements revealed a three-dimensional superconducting halo that wraps around the hard b-axis of the crystal," said Sylvia Lewin of NIST, a co-lead author on the study.

From Science Daily • Apr. 10, 2026

A halo of tiny blond corkscrew curls bounces up and down on her shoulders.

From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton