/keuh roh"neuh/ , n. , pl. coronas, coronae /-nee/ .
1. a white or colored circle or set of concentric circles of light seen around a luminous body, esp. around the sun or moon.
2. Meteorol. such a circle or set of circles having a small radius and ranging in color from blue inside to red outside, attributable to the diffraction caused by thin clouds, mist, or sometimes dust (distinguished from halo ).
3. Also called aureola, aureole . Astron. a faintly luminous envelope outside of the sun's chromosphere, the inner part consisting of highly ionized elements.
4. a long, straight, untapered cigar, rounded at the closed end.
5. Bot. a crownlike appendage, esp. one on the inner side of a corolla, as in the narcissus.
6. Anat. the upper portion or crown of a part, as of the head.
7. Elect. See corona discharge .
8. Archit. the projecting, slablike member of a classical cornice supported by the bed molding or by modillions, dentils, etc., and supporting the cymatium.
9. the tonsure of a cleric.
10. Eccles. a gold-colored stripe around the lower edge of a clerical headdress, as of a miter.
11. a chandelier of wrought metal, having the form of one or more concentric hoops.
[ 1555-65; corona garland, CROWN koróne crown, curved object; akin to koronís curved, beaked, kórax CROW, raven ]