Search Result for "halo": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (3)

1. an indication of radiant light drawn around the head of a saint;
[syn: aura, aureole, halo, nimbus, glory, gloriole]

2. a toroidal shape;
- Example: "a ring of ships in the harbor"
- Example: "a halo of smoke"
[syn: ring, halo, annulus, doughnut, anchor ring]

3. a circle of light around the sun or moon;


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Halo \Ha"lo\ (h[=a]"l[-o]), n.; pl. Halos (-l[=o]z). [L. halos, acc. halo, Gr. "a`lws a thrashing floor, also (from its round shape) the disk of the sun or moon, and later a halo round it; cf. Gr. e'ily`ein to enfold, 'ely`ein to roll round, L. volvere, and E. voluble.] 1. A luminous circle, usually prismatically colored, round the sun or moon, and supposed to be caused by the refraction of light through crystals of ice in the atmosphere. Connected with halos there are often white bands, crosses, or arches, resulting from the same atmospheric conditions. [1913 Webster] 2. A circle of light; especially, the bright ring represented in painting as surrounding the heads of saints and other holy persons; a glory; a nimbus. [1913 Webster] 3. An ideal glory investing, or affecting one's perception of, an object. [1913 Webster] 4. A colored circle around a nipple; an areola. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Halo \Ha"lo\, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Haloed (-l[=o]d); p. pr. & vb. n. Haloing.] To form, or surround with, a halo; to encircle with, or as with, a halo. [1913 Webster] The fire That haloed round his saintly brow. --Southey. [1913 Webster] halobacter
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

halo n 1: an indication of radiant light drawn around the head of a saint [syn: aura, aureole, halo, nimbus, glory, gloriole] 2: a toroidal shape; "a ring of ships in the harbor"; "a halo of smoke" [syn: ring, halo, annulus, doughnut, anchor ring] 3: a circle of light around the sun or moon
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

75 Moby Thesaurus words for "halo": O, annular muscle, annulation, annulus, anthelion, antisun, areola, aura, aureola, aureole, blaze of glory, brilliance, brilliancy, chaplet, charisma, circle, circuit, circumference, circus, closed circle, corona, coronet, countersun, crown, cycle, diadem, disc, discus, disk, envelope, eternal return, fairy ring, garland, glamour, glory, illustriousness, lasso, logical circle, loop, looplet, lunar corona, lunar halo, luster, magic, magic circle, mock moon, mock sun, moon dog, mystique, nimbus, noose, numinousness, orbit, paraselene, parhelic circle, parhelion, radiance, radius, rainbow, resplendence, resplendency, ring, rondelle, round, roundel, saucer, solar corona, solar halo, sphincter, splendor, sun dog, vesica, vicious circle, wheel, wreath
The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):

HALO, n. Properly, a luminous ring encircling an astronomical body, but not infrequently confounded with "aureola," or "nimbus," a somewhat similar phenomenon worn as a head-dress by divinities and saints. The halo is a purely optical illusion, produced by moisture in the air, in the manner of a rainbow; but the aureola is conferred as a sign of superior sanctity, in the same way as a bishop's mitre, or the Pope's tiara. In the painting of the Nativity, by Szedgkin, a pious artist of Pesth, not only do the Virgin and the Child wear the nimbus, but an ass nibbling hay from the sacred manger is similarly decorated and, to his lasting honor be it said, appears to bear his unaccustomed dignity with a truly saintly grace.