Skip to content

auréole

halo

noun oh-reh-OL Rare
Arts & Culture Visual Arts

Origin: Latin 'aureola' (little golden crown)

Also means

ring stain

Usage Note

Auréole most commonly refers to the golden halo around saints' heads in religious art, but it also means any circular mark or ring — such as a sweat stain around a collar (une auréole de sueur) or the ring left by a wet glass. The verb auréoler means to surround with a halo, often used figuratively.

Examples

"Le saint était représenté avec une auréole dorée."

Natural Translation

The saint was depicted with a golden halo.

Explore French by topic