halos

Variant of halo

halo definition

halo (hā′lō)

noun pl. halos -·los or haloes -·loes

    1. a ring of light that seems to encircle the sun, moon, or other luminous body: it results from the refraction of light through ice crystals in our atmosphere
    2. a spherical distribution of stars and star clusters extending beyond the main body of certain galaxies, as the Milky Way
  2. a symbolic disk or ring of light shown around or above the head of a saint, etc., as in pictures; nimbus: often used as a symbol of virtue or innocence
  3. the splendor or glory with which a famed, revered, or idealized person or thing is invested

Etymology: L halos (gen. & acc. halo) < Gr halōs, circular threshing floor, round disk of the sun or moon, hence halo around the sun or moon < halein, to grind < IE base *al-, to grind > Arm ałam, grind, Hindi āṭā, meal

transitive verb haloed -·loed, haloing -·lo·ing

to encircle with a halo

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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