halo
n. countablen. a circle of light around the head of a holy person in a painting. It can also describe a bright ring around the sun or moon.
n. a circle or disk of light surrounding the head of a holy figure in religious iconography; by extension, a luminous ring around a celestial body caused by light refraction.
The artist painted a golden halo above the saint's head.
Ice crystals in the upper atmosphere can create a visible halo around the moon on cold nights.
The marketing campaign relied on the halo effect, where the success of their flagship smartphone improved the public's perception of their less expensive accessories.
From Latin halōs, from Ancient Greek ἅλως (hálōs, “threshing floor; disk; disk of the sun or moon; ring of light around the sun or moon”), of unknown origin. The threshing floor's circular threshold or oxen walking on it in a circle gave rise to the other meanings. Used in English since 1563; the sense of light around someone’s head since 1646.
Often used metaphorically to describe a person's aura of goodness or innocence.