nimbus

nim·bus | \ ˈnim-bəs

How to pronounce nimbus (audio)

\

plural nimbi\ ˈnim-ˌbī

How to pronounce nimbi (audio)

, -ˌbē \ or nimbuses

Definition of nimbus

1a : 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

3a : a rain cloud

b : thunderhead also : cumulus sense 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 on the Web An image of melting glaciers in Greenland, found while perusing a PBS documentary, combines a watery sunset landscape with a swirling nimbus of orangey fingermarks on the surface. — Steven Litt, cleveland, "Former MTV reporter Tabitha Soren’s ‘Surface Tension’ explores power of touch at Transformer Station," 17 Nov. 2019 But a nimbus of noise accumulates around the simple-seeming chords. — Alex Ross, The New Yorker, "The Otherworldly Minimalism of Jürg Frey," 29 Oct. 2019 The solar equation persists in later art as a halo, a nimbus of light representing the circle of the sun. — Robert E. Gordon, WSJ, "A Multi-Layered Drama," 13 July 2018 In her angelic likeness of Nur, Ms. Lal neglects only the nimbus. — Maxwell Carter, WSJ, "‘Empress’ Review: Light of the Mughal World," 13 July 2018 With her signature nimbus of mahogany-and-gray curls tied into an overhead bun, Brock Akil, 48, knows how to persevere. — Jason Parham, WIRED, "How Oprah’s Network Finally Found Its Voice," 19 June 2018 Rosie Huntingdon-Whitely wore a simple round nimbus, as seen in Da Vinci’s Madonna Benois, which looked very nice. — Josephine Livingstone, The New Republic, "Getting Into the Holy Spirit," 8 May 2018 Her songs look at restless travels along with the details of everyday life, in roots-rock with a nimbus of psychedelia. — The New York Times, New York Times, "22 Musicals, Plays, Concerts, Dances and Festivals You Can’t Miss This Spring," 20 Feb. 2018 White dogwood branches looked like clouds, the pale saucers of their blossoms arranged in white nimbuses. — John Kelly, Washington Post, "In spring, a middle-aged man’s fancy turns to blossoms and batteries," 29 Apr. 2018

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.

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Cite this Entry

“Nimbus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nimbus. Accessed 17 Feb. 2020.

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