# halo
## English
### Etymology

From Latin halōs, from Ancient Greek ἅλως (hálōs, “threshing floor; disk; disk of the sun or moon; ring of light around the sun or moon”), of unknown origin. The threshing floor's circular threshold or oxen walking on it in a circle gave rise to the other meanings. Used in English since 1563; the sense of light around someone’s head since 1646.

### Pronunciation

* (UK) IPA: /ˈheɪləʊ/
** Audio (Southern England):(file)
* (US) enPR: hāʹlō, IPA: /ˈheɪloʊ/
* Rhymes: -eɪləʊ
* Hyphenation: ha‧lo

### Noun

halo (plural halos or haloes)
* A circular band of coloured light, visible around the sun or moon etc., caused by reflection and refraction of light by ice crystals in the atmosphere.
* (astronomy) A cloud of gas and other matter surrounding and captured by the gravitational field of a large diffuse astronomical object, such as a galaxy or cluster of galaxies.
* Anything resembling this band, such as an effect caused by imperfect developing of photographs.
* (religion) nimbus, a luminous disc, often of gold, around or over the heads of saints, etc., in religious paintings.
* The metaphorical aura of glory, veneration or sentiment which surrounds an idealized entity.
    her halo slipped
** 1829, Edgar Allan Poe, “Tamerlane”, in Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane and Minor Poems:O! yearning heart! I did inherit Thy withering portion with the fame, The searing glory which hath shone Amid the jewels of my throne, Halo of Hell!
* (advertising) The bias caused by the halo effect.
** 2016, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Health and Medicine Division, Food and Nutrition Board, Food Literacy: How Do Communications and Marketing Impact Consumer Knowledge, Skills, and Behavior?, page 51:In both cases, they found that […] there was a halo effect (e.g., when a "low cholesterol" claim was made, consumers perceived other nutrients, such as fat, also to be at low levels when they were actually high). Andrews reported that these misleading halos were reduced only when the claims were accompanied by an evaluative disclosure […]
* (art, religion, iconography) a circular annulus ring, frequently luminous, often golden, floating above the head
* (medicine) A circular brace used to keep the head and neck in position.
* (motor racing) A roll bar placed in front of the driver, used to protect the cockpit of an open cockpit racecar.
* (automotive) Short for halo headlight.

#### Synonyms

* (luminous disc around head of saints in paintings): aureole, nimbus

#### Derived terms

* Deuel's halo sign
* galactic halo
* halo blight
* halo brim
* halo car
* halo effect
* halo hat
* halo nucleus
* halo orbit
* halo sign
* massive and compact halo object
* massive astronomical compact halo object
* massive astrophysical compact halo object
* massive compact halo object
* near-rectilinear halo orbit
* neutron halo
* nuclear halo
* pleochroic halo
* proton halo
* radio halo
* solar halo
* sprite halo

#### Translations
### Verb

halo (third-person singular simple present haloes, present participle haloing, simple past and past participle haloed)
* (transitive) To encircle with a halo.
    Synonym: inaureole

#### Related terms

* halation

#### Translations
### References

* Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, G.&C. Merriam Co., 1967
* Douglas Harper (2001–2025) “halo”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

### Anagrams

* hola

## Bikol Central
### Etymology 1
#### Alternative forms

* alo

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈhalo/ [ˈha.l̪o]
* Hyphenation: ha‧lo

#### Interjection

hálo
* Quiet!; Be quiet!

### Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *qahəlu, from Proto-Austronesian *qaSəlu.

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈhaʔlo/ [ˈhaʔ.l̪o]
* Hyphenation: ha‧lo

#### Noun

hâlo (Basahan spelling ᜑᜎᜓ)
* a pestle

#### See also

* labok
* lubang

### Etymology 3
#### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈhaloʔ/ [ˈha.l̪oʔ], /haˈloʔ/ [haˈl̪oʔ]
* IPA: /ˈʔaloʔ/ [ˈʔa.l̪oʔ], /ʔaˈloʔ/ [ʔaˈl̪oʔ] (dropping)
* Hyphenation: ha‧lo

#### Noun

halò or halô (Basahan spelling ᜑᜎᜓ)
* mixture
    Synonyms: salak, ramas

##### Derived terms

* haluon
* ihalo
* maghalo

## Breton
### Etymology

From Proto-Celtic *salā (“filth, dirt”).

### Noun

halo m
* saliva

### References

* Matasović, Ranko (2009) Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 319
* Revue celtique. (1888). France: F. Vieweg., p 374

## Catalan
### Verb

halo
* first-person singular present indicative of halar

## Cebuano
### Alternative forms

* hawo

### Etymology

For the second noun sense, the monitor lizard's timidity likened to cowardice.

### Pronunciation

* Hyphenation: ha‧lo

### Noun

halo
* a monitor lizard
* (historical) a cowardly tattooed man

### Verb

halo
* to mingle

### Anagrams

* alho

## Chinook Jargon
### Noun

halo
* nothing

### Preposition

halo
* without

### Alternative forms

* hilu

## Czech
### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ˈɦalo]
* Hyphenation: ha‧lo

### Etymology 1

Borrowed from Latin halos.

#### Noun

halo n
* halo (atmospheric phenomenon)

##### Declension
### Etymology 2
#### Noun

halo
* vocative singular of hala

### Further reading

* “halo”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
* “halo”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989

## Danish
### Etymology

Medieval Latin, from Latin halos, from Ancient Greek ἅλως (hálōs, “disk of the sun or moon”).

### Noun

halo c (definite singular haloen, indefinite plural haloer, definite plural haloerne)
* halo (atmospheric phenomenon)

## Dutch
### Etymology

From Latin halos, from Ancient Greek ἅλως (hálōs, “disk of the sun or moon, ring of light around the sun or moon; threshing floor; disk of a shield”), itself of unknown origin.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈɦaː.loː/
* Audio:(file)

### Noun

halo m (plural halo's, diminutive halootje n)
* halo (atmospheric phenomenon)
* similar visual effect resulting from undesirable, roughly circular spots on an imperfectly developed photograph

### References

* M. J. Koenen & J. Endepols, Verklarend Handwoordenboek der Nederlandse Taal (tevens Vreemde-woordentolk), Groningen, Wolters-Noordhoff, 1969 (26th edition) [Dutch dictionary in Dutch]

### Anagrams

* hola

## Esperanto
### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ˈhalo]
* Audio:(file)
* Rhymes: -alo
* Hyphenation: ha‧lo

### Etymology 1

Of Germanic origin; related to German Halle, Dutch hal, also to Norwegian hall and Swedish hall.

#### Noun

halo (accusative singular halon, plural haloj, accusative plural halojn)
* (architecture) hall

##### Derived terms

* enirhalo
* festhalo
* sporthalo

### Etymology 2
#### Interjection

halo
* Alternative form of hola

##### Usage notes

To avoid confusion with the above halo, the authors of the Plena Ilustrita Vortaro de Esperanto recommend including the particle lo or adding a space ("ha lo").

## Finnish
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈhɑlo/, [ˈhɑ̝lo̞]
* Rhymes: -ɑlo
* Hyphenation: ha‧lo

### Etymology 1
#### Verb

halo
* inflection of halkoa:
** present active indicative connegative
** second-person singular present imperative
** second-person singular present active imperative connegative

##### Derived terms

* haloefekti
* haloilmiö
* halokaari
* halolamppu
* halonäytelmä
* halovalo

### Etymology 2

From English halo, from Latin halōs, from Ancient Greek ἅλως (hálōs).

#### Noun

halo
* halo

##### Declension

Possessive forms of halo (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation) :
first-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
haloni
haloni
accusative
nom.
haloni
haloni
gen.
haloni
genitive
haloni
halojeni
partitive
haloani
halojani
inessive
halossani
haloissani
elative
halostani
haloistani
illative
halooni
haloihini
adessive
halollani
haloillani
ablative
haloltani
haloiltani
allative
halolleni
haloilleni
essive
halonani
haloinani
translative
halokseni
haloikseni
abessive
halottani
haloittani
instructive
comitative
—haloineni
second-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
halosi
halosi
accusative
nom.
halosi
halosi
gen.
halosi
genitive
halosi
halojesi
partitive
haloasi
halojasi
inessive
halossasi
haloissasi
elative
halostasi
haloistasi
illative
haloosi
haloihisi
adessive
halollasi
haloillasi
ablative
haloltasi
haloiltasi
allative
halollesi
haloillesi
essive
halonasi
haloinasi
translative
haloksesi
haloiksesi
abessive
halottasi
haloittasi
instructive
comitative
—haloinesi
first-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
halomme
halomme
accusative
nom.
halomme
halomme
gen.
halomme
genitive
halomme
halojemme
partitive
haloamme
halojamme
inessive
halossamme
haloissamme
elative
halostamme
haloistamme
illative
haloomme
haloihimme
adessive
halollamme
haloillamme
ablative
haloltamme
haloiltamme
allative
halollemme
haloillemme
essive
halonamme
haloinamme
translative
haloksemme
haloiksemme
abessive
halottamme
haloittamme
instructive
comitative
—haloinemme
second-person plural possessor
singular
plural
nominative
halonne
halonne
accusative
nom.
halonne
halonne
gen.
halonne
genitive
halonne
halojenne
partitive
haloanne
halojanne
inessive
halossanne
haloissanne
elative
halostanne
haloistanne
illative
haloonne
haloihinne
adessive
halollanne
haloillanne
ablative
haloltanne
haloiltanne
allative
halollenne
haloillenne
essive
halonanne
haloinanne
translative
haloksenne
haloiksenne
abessive
halottanne
haloittanne
instructive
comitative
—haloinenne
third-person possessor
singular
plural
nominative
halonsa
halonsa
accusative
nom.
halonsa
halonsa
gen.
halonsa
genitive
halonsa
halojensa
partitive
haloaan haloansa
halojaan halojansa
inessive
halossaan halossansa
haloissaan haloissansa
elative
halostaan halostansa
haloistaan haloistansa
illative
haloonsa
haloihinsa
adessive
halollaan halollansa
haloillaan haloillansa
ablative
haloltaan haloltansa
haloiltaan haloiltansa
allative
halolleen halollensa
haloilleen haloillensa
essive
halonaan halonansa
haloinaan haloinansa
translative
halokseen haloksensa
haloikseen haloiksensa
abessive
halottaan halottansa
haloittaan haloittansa
instructive
comitative
—haloineen haloinensa :

##### Derived terms

* haloilmiö

#### Further reading

* “halo”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎ (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-01

### Anagrams

* Alho, alho, laho

## French
### Etymology

From Latin halos, from Ancient Greek ἅλως (hálōs, “disk of the sun or moon, ring of light around the sun or moon; threshing floor; disk of a shield”), itself of unknown origin.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /a.lo/
* Audio:(file)

### Noun

halo m (plural halos)
* Halo (atmospheric phenomenon)
* Similar visual effect resulting from undesirable, roughly circular spots on an imperfectly developed photograph

### References

* Nouveau Petit Larousse illustré. Dictionnaire encyclopédique. Paris, Librairie Larousse, 1952, 146th edition

### Further reading

* “halo”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

### Anagrams

* hola, holà

## Galician
### Verb

halo
* first-person singular present indicative of halar

## Ido
### Noun

halo (plural hali)
* hall, very large room

## Indonesian
### Etymology

Borrowed from Dutch hallo. Compare Malay helo.

### Interjection

halo
* hello

## Latin
### Etymology

Possibly a denominal of Proto-Indo-European *h₂enh₁-slo- (“a breathing”, whence Latin anhēlus), from the root *h₂enh₁- (“to breathe”). The syncope of the second syllable is expected, while the /h-/ is unetymological and likely onomatopoeic. Ultimately akin to animus (“spirit”).

### Pronunciation

* (Classical Latin) IPA: /ˈhaː.loː/, [ˈhäːɫ̪oː]
* (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA: /ˈa.lo/, [ˈäːlo]

### Verb

hālō (present infinitive hālāre, perfect active hālāvī, supine hālātum); first conjugation
* to breathe
* to emit, exhale, release (gas or fragrance)
* to be fragrant
** 29 BCE – 19 BCE, Virgil, Aeneid 1.416–418:Ipsa Paphum sublimis abit sedesque revisit Laeta suas ubi templum illi centumque Sabaeo⁠⁠⁠ Ture calent arae sertisque recentibus halant.[Venus] goes flying back to Paphos and sees happily again her seat Where there is a temple to her and a hundred altars That warmly glow with Sheban incense and are perfumed by fresh wreaths.

#### Synonyms

* spīrō

#### Derived terms

* adhālō
* anhēlo
* exhālō
* inhālō
* redhālō

#### Descendants

* >? Old French: haler
** ⇒ French: haleter

### References

* ↑ De Vaan, Michiel (2008) “hālō, -āre”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 279
* ↑ Pokorny, Julius (1959) Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), Bern, München: Francke Verlag

### Further reading

* “halo”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
* “halo”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
* halo in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.

## Malay
### Etymology 1

Borrowed from Dutch hallo, possibly through Indonesian halo.

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ha.lo]
* Rhymes: -lo, -o
* Hyphenation: ha‧lo

#### Interjection

halo (Jawi spelling هلو)
* (uncommon, informal) Used to greet people; hello.
    Synonyms: helo, hai, assalamualaikum
    Halo, nak tanya pasal kerja rumah tadi sekejap, boleh?Hello, can I ask about the homework earlier?

### Etymology 2

From English halo, from Latin halōs, from Ancient Greek ἅλως (hálōs, “threshing floor; disk; disk of the sun or moon; ring of light around the sun or moon”), of unknown origin.

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: [he.lo]
* Rhymes: -lo, -o
* Hyphenation: ha‧lo

#### Noun

halo (Jawi spelling هلو, plural halo-halo, informal 1st possessive haloku, 2nd possessive halomu, 3rd possessive halonya)
* A circular band of coloured light, visible around the sun or moon etc., caused by reflection and refraction of light by ice crystals in the atmosphere.

### Further reading

* “halo” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.

## Norwegian Bokmål
### Noun

halo m (definite singular haloen, indefinite plural haloer, definite plural haloene)
* halo (atmospheric phenomenon)

## Norwegian Nynorsk
### Noun

halo m (definite singular haloen, indefinite plural haloar, definite plural haloane)
* halo (atmospheric phenomenon)

## Polish
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈxa.lɔ/
* Audio 1:(file)
* Audio 2:(file)
* Rhymes: -alɔ
* Syllabification: ha‧lo

### Etymology 1

Internationalism; compare English halo, French halo, German Halo, ultimately from Latin halōs, from Ancient Greek ἅλως (hálōs).

#### Noun

halo n (indeclinable)
* halo (circular band of coloured light, visible around the sun or moon, etc., caused by reflection and refraction of light by ice crystals in the atmosphere)
* (astronomy) halo (cloud of gas and other matter surrounding and captured by the gravitational field of a large diffuse astronomical object, such as a galaxy or cluster of galaxies)
* (photography) halo (luminous border in a photograph around shiny or reflective objects)
* (literary) halo (metaphorical aura of glory, veneration, or sentiment which surrounds an idealized entity)
    Synonyms: aureola, gloria, nimb

### Etymology 2

Borrowed from American English hallo.

#### Alternative forms

* hallo

#### Interjection

halo
* hello? (greeting used when answering the telephone)
    Synonyms: proszę, słucham
* hello? (call for response if it is not clear if anyone is present or listening, or if a telephone conversation may have been disconnected)

#### Noun

halo n (indeclinable)
* publicity given to matters of little importance

##### Derived terms

* nie halo

### Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

#### Noun

halo f
* vocative singular of hala

### Further reading

* halo I in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
* halo II in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
* halo in Polish dictionaries at PWN
* halo in PWN's encyclopedia

## Portuguese
### Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin halos, from Ancient Greek ἅλως (hálōs, “disk of the sun or moon”).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈa.lu/
* Rhymes: -alu
* Homophone: alo
* Hyphenation: ha‧lo

### Noun

halo m (plural halos)
* (astronomy) halo (atmospheric phenomenon)
    Synonym: auréola
* (religion, iconography) halo (luminous disc around the heads of saints)
    Synonyms: auréola, nimbo

### References

* ↑ “halo”, in Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2025
* ↑ “halo”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2025

## Romanian
### Etymology

Borrowed from French halo.

### Noun

halo n (plural halouri)
* halo

#### Declension
## Serbo-Croatian
### Etymology 1
#### Noun

halo m (Cyrillic spelling хало)
* (astronomy) halo (atmospheric phenomenon)

### Etymology 2

From English hallo.

#### Interjection

halo (Cyrillic spelling хало)
* (when answering the telephone) hello
    Synonyms: zdravo, ćao

## Spanish
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈalo/ [ˈa.lo]
* Rhymes: -alo
* Syllabification: ha‧lo

### Etymology 1

Borrowed from Medieval Latin, from Latin halos, from Ancient Greek ἅλως (hálōs, “disk of the sun or moon”).

#### Noun

halo m (plural halos)
* halo (atmospheric phenomenon)
* halo (nimbus around the head of a holy figure)

### Etymology 2
#### Verb

halo
* first-person singular present indicative of halar

### Further reading

* “halo”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10

### Anagrams

* hola

## Swedish
### Etymology

Medieval Latin, from Latin halos, from Ancient Greek ἅλως (hálōs, “disk of the sun or moon”). Related to English and Danish halo.

### Noun

halo c (definite singular halon, indefinite plural halor / haloer, definite plural halorna / haloerna)
* halo (atmospheric phenomenon)

#### Declension
## Tagalog
### Etymology 1

Compare Bikol Central halo (“mixture”), Cebuano halo (“mingle”), Malay haru (“stir; chaos”), and Malay arau (“stirring”).

#### Pronunciation

* (Standard Tagalog)
** IPA: /ˈhaloʔ/ [ˈhaː.loʔ] (noun)
*** Rhymes: -aloʔ
** IPA: /haˈloʔ/ [hɐˈloʔ] (adjective)
*** Rhymes: -oʔ
* Syllabification: ha‧lo

#### Noun

halò (Baybayin spelling ᜑᜎᜓ)
* blend; mixture (things mixed together)
    Synonym: timplada
* mix (substance added to a mixture)
    Synonyms: lahok, banto, sahog
* mixing; act of mixing
    Synonyms: paghalo, paghahalo

##### Derived terms

* halo-halo
* haluan
* haluin
* halungtiyang
* ihalo
* kahalo
* maghalo
* maghalo ang balat sa tinalupan
* magkahalo
* makihalo
* mapahalo
* paghalo
* paghaluin
* pagkakahalo
* panghalo

##### See also

* halubilo

#### Adjective

halô (Baybayin spelling ᜑᜎᜓ)
* mixed together (by stirring)

### Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *qahəlu, from Proto-Austronesian *qaSəlu.

#### Pronunciation

* (Standard Tagalog) IPA: /ˈhalo/ [ˈhaː.lo]
* Rhymes: -alo
* Syllabification: ha‧lo

#### Noun

halo (Baybayin spelling ᜑᜎᜓ)
* pestle (for a mortar)
    Synonyms: pambayo, pandikdik, panligis

##### See also

* mortero
* pambayo

### Etymology 3

Borrowed from Spanish halo but with the silent ⟨h⟩ pronounced, from Medieval Latin, from Latin halos, from Ancient Greek ἅλως (hálōs, “disk of the sun or moon”).

#### Pronunciation

* (Standard Tagalog) IPA: /ˈhalo/ [ˈhaː.lo]
* Rhymes: -alo
* Syllabification: ha‧lo

#### Noun

halo (Baybayin spelling ᜑᜎᜓ)
* halo (circular band of coloured light, visible around the sun or moon, etc., caused by reflection and refraction of light by ice crystals in the atmosphere)

### Etymology 4

Borrowed from English hello.

#### Pronunciation

* (Standard Tagalog) IPA: /haˈlo/ [hɐˈlo]
* Rhymes: -o
* Syllabification: ha‧lo

#### Interjection

haló (Baybayin spelling ᜑᜎᜓ)
* hello!

##### Alternative forms

* helo

#### See also

* kumusta
* uy

### Further reading

* “halo”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, Manila, 2018

### Anagrams

* laho

## Tetum
### Verb

halo
* to do, to make
* to build