# halo

/ˈheɪɫoʊ/ (US) · /hˈeɪləʊ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/halo
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. religious art

noun · CEFR B2

a bright circle or ring of light shown around the head of a holy person in a painting.

For teachers: a luminous disc or circle, often gold, depicted around the head of a saint or deity in religious iconography.

- In the old painting, the artist drew a golden halo around the angel's head.
- The medieval fresco depicts the apostles with distinct golden halos to signify their divine status within the narrative.

### 2. weather/space

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a ring of light that sometimes appears around the sun or the moon.

For teachers: a circle of light or colour around the sun, moon, or other luminous body caused by the refraction of light through ice crystals.

- We looked up and saw a strange, pale halo around the moon last night.
- The atmospheric conditions were perfect for the formation of a 22-degree halo, creating a spectacular ring around the midday sun.

### 3. psychology bias

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

the 'halo effect', where you think someone is good at everything just because they are good at one thing.

For teachers: the cognitive bias known as the 'halo effect', where an observer's overall impression of a person influences their feelings about that person's character.

- The manager's halo made him overlook the new employee's frequent mistakes.
- The halo effect often leads interviewers to rate attractive candidates as more competent, regardless of their actual professional experience.

### 4. medical brace

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a metal ring used to hold a person's head and neck still after an injury.

For teachers: a medical device consisting of a metal ring encircling the head, used to stabilise the cervical spine after severe trauma.

- After the accident, he had to wear a halo for three months to help his neck heal.
- The surgeon opted for a halo vest to ensure complete immobilisation of the patient's upper vertebrae during the recovery period.

### 6. to surround with light

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary

to surround something with a ring of light.

For teachers: to encircle or surround an object with a halo or a similar luminous border.

- The setting sun seemed to halo the mountain peaks in a soft orange glow.
- The backlight from the stage lamps served to halo the singer, creating a dramatic silhouette against the dark background.

## Examples

- 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.

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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.