: a usually colored circle often seen around and close to a luminous body (such as the sun or moon) caused by diffraction produced by suspended droplets or occasionally particles of dust
(2)
: the tenuous outermost part of the atmosphere of a star (such as the sun)
(3)
: a circle of light made by the apparent convergence of the streamers of the aurora borealis
b
: the upper portion of a bodily part (such as a tooth or the skull)
c
: an appendage or series of united appendages on the inner side of the corolla in some flowers (such as the daffodil, jonquil, or milkweed)
d
: a faint glow adjacent to the surface of an electrical conductor at high voltage
In the fight against the consequences of the corona epidemic, the Italian government is resorting to radical measures.—Anne Kunz et al.
3
[from La Corona, a trademark]: a long cigar having the sides straight to the end to be lit and being roundly blunt at the other end
Illustration of corona
a corona 2c
Examples of corona in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebWith this mission, experts may learn more about space weather, the sources of solar particles, and differences between the Sun's corona and its surface.—Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 28 May 2024 Coronal ejections are large expulsions of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun’s corona, according to NOAA.—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, 12 May 2024 On the same day this video was recorded, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe passed to within 4.5 million miles (7.26 million kilometers) of the solar surface, measuring particles and the magnetic field in the Sun’s corona and solar wind, according to ESA.—George Dvorsky / Gizmodo, Quartz, 2 May 2024 CMEs are expulsions of plasma and magnetic field from the sun's corona, the outermost part of the sun's atmosphere, according to the SWPC.—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 10 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for corona
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'corona.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Latin corōna "garland worn on the head as a mark of honor or emblem of majesty, halo around a celestial body, top part of an entablature" — more at crown entry 1
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