halo

English Online Dictionary. What means halo‎? What does halo mean?

English

Etymology

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.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈheɪləʊ/
• (US) enPR: hāʹlō, IPA^(key): /ˈheɪloʊ/
• Rhymes: -eɪləʊ

Noun

halo (plural halos or haloes)

1. A 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.
2. (astronomy) A 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.
3. Anything resembling this band, such as an effect caused by imperfect developing of photographs.
4. (religion) nimbus, a luminous disc, often of gold, around or over the heads of saints, etc., in religious paintings.
5. The metaphorical aura of glory, veneration or sentiment which surrounds an idealized entity.
6. (advertising) The bias caused by the halo effect.
7. (art, religion, iconography) a circular annulus ring, frequently luminous, often golden, floating above the head
8. (medicine) A circular brace used to keep the head and neck in position.
9. (motor racing) A rollbar placed in front of the driver, used to protect the cockpit of an open cockpit racecar.
10. (automotive) Short for halo headlight.

Synonyms

• (luminous disc around head of saints in paintings): aureole, nimbus

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

halo (third-person singular simple present haloes, present participle haloing, simple past and past participle haloed)

1. (transitive) To encircle with a halo.

   Synonym: inaureole

Related terms

• halation

Translations

References

• Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, G.&C. Merriam Co., 1967
• Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “halo”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Anagrams

• hola

Bikol Central

Etymology 1

Alternative forms

• alo

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: ha‧lo
• IPA^(key): /ˈhalo/ [ˈha.l̪o]

Interjection

hálo

1. Quiet!; Be quiet!

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *qahəlu, from Proto-Austronesian *qaSəlu.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: ha‧lo
• IPA^(key): /ˈhaʔlo/ [ˈhaʔ.l̪o]

Noun

hâlo

1. a pestle

See also

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: ha‧lo
• IPA^(key): /ˈhaloʔ/ [ˈha.l̪oʔ]
• IPA^(key): /haˈloʔ/ [haˈl̪oʔ]

Noun

halò or halô

1. mixture

   Synonyms: salak, ramas

Derived terms

Breton

Etymology

From Proto-Celtic *salā (“filth, dirt”).

Noun

halo m

1. saliva

References

• Matasović, Ranko (2009) Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 319
• Revue celtique. (1888). France: F. Vieweg., p 374

Catalan

Verb

halo

1. first-person singular present indicative of halar

Cebuano

Alternative forms

• hawo

Etymology

For the second noun sense, the monitor lizard's timidity likened to cowardice.

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: ha‧lo

Noun

halo

1. a monitor lizard
2. (historical) a cowardly tattooed man

Verb

halo

1. to mingle

Anagrams

• alho

Chinook Jargon

Noun

halo

1. nothing

Preposition

halo

1. without

Alternative forms

• hilu

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɦalo]
• Hyphenation: ha‧lo

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Latin halos.

Noun

halo n

1. halo (atmospheric phenomenon)

Declension

Etymology 2

Noun

halo

1. vocative singular of hala

Further reading

• “halo”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “halo”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989

Danish

Etymology

Medieval Latin, from Latin halos, from Ancient Greek ἅλως (hálōs, “disk of the sun or moon”).

Noun

halo c (definite singular haloen, indefinite plural haloer, definite plural haloerne)

1. halo (atmospheric phenomenon)

Dutch

Etymology

From Latin halos, from Ancient Greek ἅλως (hálōs, “disk of the sun or moon, ring of light around the sun or moon; threshing floor; disk of a shield”), itself of unknown origin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɦaː.loː/

Noun

halo m (plural halo's, diminutive halootje n)

1. halo (atmospheric phenomenon)
2. similar visual effect resulting from undesirable, roughly circular spots on an imperfectly developed photograph

References

• M. J. Koenen & J. Endepols, Verklarend Handwoordenboek der Nederlandse Taal (tevens Vreemde-woordentolk), Groningen, Wolters-Noordhoff, 1969 (26th edition) [Dutch dictionary in Dutch]

Anagrams

• hola

Esperanto

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈhalo]
• Rhymes: -alo
• Hyphenation: ha‧lo

Etymology 1

Of Germanic origin; related to German Halle, Dutch hal, also to Norwegian hall and Swedish hall.

Noun

halo (accusative singular halon, plural haloj, accusative plural halojn)

1. (architecture) hall

Derived terms

Etymology 2

Interjection

halo

1. Alternative form of hola

Usage notes

To avoid confusion with the above halo, the authors of the Plena Ilustrita Vortaro de Esperanto recommend including the particle lo or adding a space ("ha lo").

Finnish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhɑlo/, [ˈhɑ̝lo̞]
• Rhymes: -ɑlo
• Hyphenation^(key): ha‧lo

Etymology 1

Verb

halo

1. inflection of halkoa:
   1. present active indicative connegative
   2. second-person singular present imperative
   3. second-person singular present active imperative connegative

Derived terms

Etymology 2

From English halo, from Latin halōs, from Ancient Greek ἅλως (hálōs).

Noun

halo

1. halo

Declension

Derived terms

• haloilmiö

Further reading

• “halo”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-01

Anagrams

• Alho, alho, laho

French

Etymology

From Latin halos, from Ancient Greek ἅλως (hálōs, “disk of the sun or moon, ring of light around the sun or moon; threshing floor; disk of a shield”), itself of unknown origin.

Pronunciation

• ^{(aspirated h)} IPA^(key): /a.lo/

Noun

halo m (plural halos)

1. Halo (atmospheric phenomenon)
2. Similar visual effect resulting from undesirable, roughly circular spots on an imperfectly developed photograph

References

• Nouveau Petit Larousse illustré. Dictionnaire encyclopédique. Paris, Librairie Larousse, 1952, 146th edition

Further reading

• “halo”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams

• hola, holà

Galician

Verb

halo

1. first-person singular present indicative of halar

Ido

Noun

halo (plural hali)

1. hall, very large room

Indonesian

Etymology

Borrowed from Dutch hallo. Compare Malay helo.

Interjection

halo

1. hello

Latin

Etymology

Possibly a denominal of Proto-Indo-European *h₂enh₁-slo- (“a breathing”, whence Latin anhēlus), from the root *h₂enh₁- (“to breathe”). The syncope of the second syllable is expected, while the /h-/ is unetymological and likely onomatopoeic. Ultimately akin to animus (“spirit”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈhaː.loː/, [ˈhäːɫ̪oː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈa.lo/, [ˈäːlo]

Verb

hālō (present infinitive hālāre, perfect active hālāvī, supine hālātum); first conjugation

1. to breathe
2. to emit, exhale, release (gas or fragrance)
3. to be fragrant

Conjugation

Synonyms

• spīrō

Derived terms

• adhālō
• anhēlo
• exhālō
• inhālō
• redhālō

Descendants

• Old French: haler
  • French: haleter

References

• “halo”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “halo”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• halo in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.

Malay

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Dutch hallo, possibly through Indonesian halo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ha.lo]
• Rhymes: -lo, -o
• Hyphenation: ha‧lo

Interjection

halo (Jawi spelling هلو)

1. (uncommon, informal) Used to greet people; hello.

   Synonyms: helo, hai, assalamualaikum

Etymology 2

From English halo, 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.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [he.lo]
• Rhymes: -lo, -o
• Hyphenation: ha‧lo

Noun

halo (Jawi spelling هلو, plural halo-halo, informal 1st possessive haloku, 2nd possessive halomu, 3rd possessive halonya)

1. A 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.

Further reading

• “halo” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.

Norwegian Bokmål

Noun

halo m (definite singular haloen, indefinite plural haloer, definite plural haloene)

1. halo (atmospheric phenomenon)

Norwegian Nynorsk

Noun

halo m (definite singular haloen, indefinite plural haloar, definite plural haloane)

1. halo (atmospheric phenomenon)

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈxa.lɔ/
• Rhymes: -alɔ
• Syllabification: ha‧lo

Etymology 1

Internationalism; compare English halo, French halo, German Halo, ultimately from Latin halōs, from Ancient Greek ἅλως (hálōs).

Noun

halo n (indeclinable)

1. halo (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)
2. (astronomy) halo (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)
3. (photography) halo (luminous border in a photograph around shiny or reflective objects)
4. (literary) halo (metaphorical aura of glory, veneration, or sentiment which surrounds an idealized entity)

   Synonyms: aureola, gloria, nimb

Etymology 2

Borrowed from American English hallo.

Alternative forms

• hallo

Interjection

halo

1. hello? (greeting used when answering the telephone)

   Synonyms: proszę, słucham

2. hello? (call for response if it is not clear if anyone is present or listening, or if a telephone conversation may have been disconnected)

Noun

halo n (indeclinable)

1. publicity given to matters of little importance

Derived terms

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

halo f

1. vocative singular of hala

Further reading

• halo I in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• halo II in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• halo in Polish dictionaries at PWN
• halo in PWN's encyclopedia

Portuguese

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin halos, from Ancient Greek ἅλως (hálōs, “disk of the sun or moon”).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -alu
• Homophone: alo
• Hyphenation: ha‧lo

Noun

halo m (plural halos)

1. (astronomy) halo (atmospheric phenomenon)

   Synonym: auréola

2. (religion, iconography) halo (luminous disc around the heads of saints)

   Synonyms: auréola, nimbo

References

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French halo.

Noun

halo n (plural halouri)

1. halo

Declension

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology 1

Noun

halo m (Cyrillic spelling хало)

1. (astronomy) halo (atmospheric phenomenon)

Etymology 2

From English hallo.

Interjection

halo (Cyrillic spelling хало)

1. (when answering the telephone) hello

   Synonyms: zdravo, ćao

Spanish

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Medieval Latin, from Latin halos, from Ancient Greek ἅλως (hálōs, “disk of the sun or moon”).

Noun

halo m (plural halos)

1. halo (atmospheric phenomenon)
2. halo (nimbus around the head of a holy figure)

Etymology 2

Verb

halo

1. first-person singular present indicative of halar

Further reading

• “halo”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.7, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2023 November 28

Anagrams

• hola

Swedish

Etymology

Medieval Latin, from Latin halos, from Ancient Greek ἅλως (hálōs, “disk of the sun or moon”). Related to English and Danish halo.

Noun

halo c (definite singular halon, indefinite plural halor / haloer, definite plural halorna / haloerna)

1. halo (atmospheric phenomenon)

Declension

Tagalog

Etymology 1

Compare Bikol Central halo (“mixture”), Cebuano halo (“mingle”), Malay haru (“stir; chaos”), and Malay arau (“stirring”).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog)
  • IPA^(key): /ˈhaloʔ/ [ˈhaː.loʔ] (noun)
    • Rhymes: -aloʔ
  • IPA^(key): /haˈloʔ/ [hɐˈloʔ] (adjective)
    • Rhymes: -oʔ
• Syllabification: ha‧lo

Noun

halò (Baybayin spelling ᜑᜎᜓ)

1. blend; mixture (things mixed together)

   Synonym: timplada

2. mix (substance added to a mixture)

   Synonyms: lahok, banto, sahog

3. mixing; act of mixing

   Synonyms: paghalo, paghahalo

Derived terms

See also

Adjective

halô (Baybayin spelling ᜑᜎᜓ)

1. mixed together (by stirring)

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *qahəlu, from Proto-Austronesian *qaSəlu.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈhalo/ [ˈhaː.lo]
• Rhymes: -alo
• Syllabification: ha‧lo

Noun

halo (Baybayin spelling ᜑᜎᜓ)

1. pestle (for a mortar)

   Synonyms: pambayo, pandikdik, panligis

See also

• mortero
• pambayo

Etymology 3

Borrowed from English hello.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /haˈlo/ [hɐˈlo]
• Rhymes: -o
• Syllabification: ha‧lo

Interjection

haló (Baybayin spelling ᜑᜎᜓ)

1. hello!

Alternative forms

• helo

See also

• kumusta
• uy

Further reading

• “halo”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, Manila, 2018

Anagrams

• laho

Tetum

Verb

halo

1. to do, to make
2. to build