AUREOLE

or aureola noun Etymology: Middle English ~ heavenly crown worn by saints, from Medieval Latin aureola, from Latin, feminine of aureolus golden, diminutive of aureus Date: 13th century 1. a radiant light around the head or body of a representation of a sacred personage, something resembling an ~ , radiance , aura , the luminous area surrounding the sun or other bright light when seen through thin cloud or mist ; corona , a ring-shaped zone around an igneous intrusion, ~ transitive verb