halo
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈheɪləʊ/
enpr: hāʹlō
ipa: /ˈheɪloʊ/
rhymes: -eɪləʊ
Forms: form: halos
form: haloes
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.
Senses: glosses: 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.
topics: astronomy
natural-sciences
glosses: 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.
glosses: Anything resembling this band, such as an effect caused by imperfect developing of photographs.
topics: lifestyle
religion
glosses: nimbus, a luminous disc, often of gold, around or over the heads of saints, etc., in religious paintings.
examples: text: her halo slipped
text: 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!
ref: 1829, Edgar Allan Poe, “Tamerlane”, in Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane and Minor Poems:
glosses: The metaphorical aura of glory, veneration or sentiment which surrounds an idealized entity.
examples: text: 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 […]
ref: 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:
topics: advertising
business
marketing
glosses: The bias caused by the halo effect.
topics: art
art-history
arts
history
human-sciences
iconography
lifestyle
religion
sciences
glosses: a circular annulus ring, frequently luminous, often golden, floating above the head
topics: medicine
sciences
glosses: A circular brace used to keep the head and neck in position.
topics: hobbies
lifestyle
motor-racing
racing
sports
glosses: A roll bar placed in front of the driver, used to protect the cockpit of an open cockpit racecar.
topics: automotive
transport
vehicles
glosses: Ellipsis of halo headlight.
Synonyms: sense: luminous disc around head of saints in paintings
word: aureole
sense: luminous disc around head of saints in paintings
word: nimbus
Derived terms: antihalo
Deuel's halo sign
dihalo
enhalo
galactic halo
halo blight
halo brim
halo car
halochalcogenate
halo effect
haloesque
halofinding
halo hat
haloless
halolike
halo nucleus
halo orbit
haloscope
halo sign
intrahalo
massive and compact halo object
massive astronomical compact halo object
massive astrophysical compact halo object
massive compact halo object
microhalo
minihalo
near-rectilinear halo orbit
neutron halo
nuclear halo
pleochroic halo
protohalo
proton halo
radio halo
radiohalo
solar halo
sprite halo
subhalo