au·re·ole  (ôr ē- ōl ′) also au·re·o·la (ô-r ēə-l ə)
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n.1. A circular or oval light surrounding the head or body of a representation of a deity or holy person; a halo.
[Middle English, from Late Latin (corōna) aureola, golden (crown), feminine of Latin aureolus, golden, from aureus, from aurum, gold.]  (click for a larger image) aureole3rd-century Pakistani sculpture of the Bodhisattva Maitreya |
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