nimbus

play

noun nim·bus \ ˈnim-bəs \

Definition of nimbus

plural nimbi play \ˈnim-ˌbī, -ˌbē\ or nimbuses

1 a :a luminous vapor, cloud, or atmosphere about a god or goddess when on earth

b :a cloud or atmosphere (as of romance) about a person or thing

2 :an indication (such as a circle) of radiant light or glory about the head of a drawn or sculptured divinity, saint, or sovereign

3 a :a rain cloud

b :thunderhead; also :cumulus 2

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Examples of nimbus in a Sentence

fans are inevitably disappointed when the nimbus of glamour about their favorite celebrity turns out to be an illusion
the nimbi for the sculpted figures around the exterior of the church are simple disks about the saints' heads

Recent Examples of nimbus from the Web

Millions of Americans across a 70-mile-wide swath from Oregon to South Carolina on Monday watched the moon pass in front of the sun and, ultimately, cover it altogether, except for a fiery nimbus at its edge.

— Bloomberg.com, "Solar Eclipse Awes America With a Glimpse of Totality," 21 Aug. 2017
Furthermore, today’s president is doing invaluable damage to Americans’ infantilizing assumption that the presidency magically envelops its occupant with a nimbus of seriousness. …

— james hohmann, Washington Post, "The Daily 202: Trump stumbles are undercutting executive power, which may be healthy for America long-term," 3 Aug. 2017
Sarah Menkedick | Longreads | May 2017 | 15 minutes (3,743 words) Meg first appeared to me as a nimbus of curly red hair, looming above my top bunk late at night.

— sarah menkedick, Longreads, "Between Mom and Stepmom," 18 May 2017
A tale of an insular populace that doesn’t think twice before opening its arms to an international throng of strangers automatically acquires a near-utopian nimbus.

— ben brantley, New York Times, "Review: ‘Come From Away,’ a Canadian Embrace on a Grim Day," 12 Mar. 2017
Even as figs continue to pelt the ground, the first to fall have begun to rot and are enveloped in a nimbus of diaphanous white fungus.

— National Geographic, "One Tiny Wasp Turns a Fig Tree Into a 150-Foot-High Eden," 29 Sep. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'nimbus.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.