aureole

[ awr-ee-ohl ]
/ ˈɔr iˌoʊl /

noun

a radiance surrounding the head or the whole figure in the representation of a sacred personage.
any encircling ring of light or color; halo.
Astronomy. corona(def 3).
Geology. a zone of altered country rock around an igneous intrusion.
Also au·re·o·la [aw-ree-uh-luh, uh-ree-] /ɔˈri ə lə, əˈri-/.

Origin of aureole

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Latin aureola (corona) “golden (crown),” equivalent to aure(us) “golden” (see aureate) + -ola, feminine of -olus noun suffix (see -ole1)

Example sentences from the Web for aureole

British Dictionary definitions for aureole

aureole

aureola (ɔːˈriːələ)

/ (ˈɔːrɪˌəʊl) /

noun

(esp in paintings of Christian saints and the deity) a border of light or radiance enveloping the head or sometimes the whole of a figure represented as holy
a less common word for halo
another name for corona (def. 2)

Word Origin for aureole

C13: from Old French auréole, from Medieval Latin ( corōna) aureola golden (crown), from Latin aureolus golden, from aurum gold

Scientific definitions for aureole

aureole
[ ôrē-ōl′ ]

A band of metamorphic rock surrounding a body of cooled magma. Aureoles form through the process of contact metamorphism. See more at contact metamorphism.
See corona.