Halo Meaning
/hˈeɪloʊ/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA circular band of coloured light, visible around the sun or moon etc., caused by reflection and refraction of light by ice crystals in the atmosphere.
nounA cloud of gas and other matter surrounding and captured by the gravitational field of a large diffuse astronomical object, such as a galaxy or cluster of galaxies.
Sentence Examples
Saints are always depicted with a halo over their heads.
Moral indignation is jealousy with a halo.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The angel's head was surrounded by a bright golden ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
In many religious paintings, a golden ____ is often depicted around the head of a saint to represent their holiness.
Word Origin & History
Clipping of Halotestin.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"O! yearning heart! I did inherit
Thy withering portion with the fame,
The searing glory which hath shone
Amid the jewels of my throne,
Halo of Hell!"
— 1829, Edgar Allan Poe, “Tamerlane”, in Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane and Minor Poems:
"In both cases, they found that […] there was a halo effect (e.g., when a "low cholesterol" claim was made, consumers perceived other nutrients, such as fat, also to be at low levels when they were actually high). Andrews reported that these misleading halos were reduced only when the claims were accompanied by an evaluative disclosure […]"
— 2016, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Health and Medicine Division, Food and Nutrition Board, Food Literacy: How Do Communications and Marketing Impact Consumer Knowledge, Skills, and Behavior?, page 51:
"Call it the AI immunity trade, HALO—for “heavy assets, low obsolescence”—or just another iteration of the jitters that have periodically rippled through markets since the AI investing boom began. […] Not everyone is convinced the HALO hype will stick around."
— 2026 February 22, Hannah Erin Lang, “Wall Street’s Latest Bet Is on ‘HALO’ Companies With AI Immunity”, in The Wall Street Journal, archived from the original on 22 Feb 2026:
"While US mega-cap tech companies have had a rough start to 2026, the Halo trade helped to push UK and EU stock markets to record levels by the end of February. […] Goldman defined Halo businesses as ones which pair substantial physical capital (where barriers to replication include cost, regulation, time to build or engineering complexity) with long-lived economic relevance."
— 2026 March 1, Graeme Wearden, “AI-resistant ‘halo’ stocks drive UK and EU markets to record highs”, in The Guardian, →ISSN, archived from the original on 01 Mar 2026:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The angel's head was surrounded by a bright golden ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
In many religious paintings, a golden ____ is often depicted around the head of a saint to represent their holiness.