Heiligenschein

American  

[hahy-li-guhn-shahyn] / ˈhaɪ lɪ gənˌʃaɪn /

noun

German.

plural

Heiligenscheine

1. (on wet grass and when the sun is low) a bright ring around the shadow cast by a person's head, caused by reflection and diffraction of light rays.

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Etymology

Origin of Heiligenschein

First recorded in 1910–15; from German: literally, “halo, gloriole,” equivalent to Heiligen- “saint's” + Schein “shine, light, brilliance”