# corona

/kɝˈoʊnə/ (US) · /kəɹˈəʊnɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/corona
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. the sun's atmosphere

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

the outer layer of the sun's atmosphere that looks like a white ring of light during an eclipse.

For teachers: the rarefied gaseous envelope of the sun or other star, typically visible during a total solar eclipse as a luminous irregular halo.

- During the total eclipse, the sun's corona was visible as a glowing white ring.
- The solar corona consists of extremely hot plasma that extends millions of kilometres into space, though it is usually obscured by the sun's brightness.

### 2. virus or disease

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a common short name for a coronavirus or the illness it causes, like COVID-19.

For teachers: a colloquial shorthand for a coronavirus, particularly SARS-CoV-2, or the respiratory disease resulting from the infection.

- Many businesses had to close for a few months because of corona.
- Public health guidelines were updated frequently during the peak of the corona outbreak to mitigate community transmission.

### 3. ring of light

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a circle of light that appears around the sun or moon when there are clouds or mist.

For teachers: an optical phenomenon consisting of one or more concentric colored rings around a celestial body, caused by the diffraction of light by water droplets.

- A beautiful corona appeared around the moon through the thin clouds.
- Unlike a rainbow, a corona is produced by diffraction rather than refraction, resulting in a smaller and more intense ring of light.

### 4. anatomy/biology

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a part of a plant or animal body that looks like a crown.

For teachers: any crown-like structure or appendage of an organism, such as the top of a tooth or a ring of petals.

- The dentist checked the corona of the tooth for any signs of damage.
- In botany, the corona of a daffodil is the cup-shaped part in the center of the flower that holds the pollen.

### 5. a cigar

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a long, straight cigar with a rounded end.

For teachers: a specific size and shape of cigar, typically long and straight-sided with a blunt, rounded head.

- He sat on the porch after dinner, slowly smoking a corona.
- The connoisseur preferred the corona for its consistent burn and the specific volume of smoke it produced compared to smaller varieties.

## Examples

- The corona of the sun glowed red.
- Scientists studied the solar corona to understand how the sun heats its outer atmosphere.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.