aureole
6 synonyms for aureole, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A circle of light shown around the head of a god or saint in art.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
gloriole
nimbus
Etymology
This word came into English from Middle English aureole, which itself came from Old French aureole, tracing back to Medieval Latin aureola (corona), meaning “golden (crown)”. It is a doublet of oriole.
Full origin of aureole →