aura

noun

au·​ra ˈȯr-ə 

1

a

: a distinctive atmosphere surrounding a given source

The place had an aura of mystery.

b

: a subtle sensory stimulus (such as an aroma)

2

medical : a subjective (see subjective entry 1 sense 4b) sensation (as of voices, colored lights, or crawling and numbness) experienced at the onset of a neurological condition and especially a migraine or epileptic seizure

3

: an energy field that is held to emanate from a living being

4

: a luminous radiation : nimbus

Synonyms

• air
• ambience
• ambiance
• aroma
• atmosphere
• climate
• flavor
• halo
• karma
• mood
• nimbus
• note
• odor
• patina
• smell
• temper
• vibration(s)

Examples of aura in a Sentence

the monastery perched high on a mountaintop had an aura of unreality and mystery about it

alternative medical treatments that rely on the practitioner's ability to detect a patient's aura

Recent Examples on the Web

With her singular aura of old soul meets futuristic rebel, Badu has used her gifts to continue the traditions of Black doulas in the childbirth industry (and in the death industry). —Kia Turner, Essence, 18 Apr. 2024

Kevin was the big brother – quiet, pensive and reflective with a calming aura the boys gravitated to for advice and protection. —Leena Tailor, Variety, 17 Apr. 2024

But beneath that indignation lurked something else—a nagging anxiety coaxed into sharper visibility by the therapeutic aura of Kafka’s sleek analytic couch. —Leslie Jamison, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024

Banksy’s anti-establishment street art has achieved global notoriety in recent years, and curiosity about the artist himself has lent an aura of mystery to his work. —Annabelle Timsit, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024

Whether daydreaming, seductive or melancholic and fragile — each of her roles has a special aura surrounding it. —Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2024

The details of their friendship and its dissolution, kept hidden from the reader for most of the novel, have an unmistakable aura of fantasy. —Talya Zax, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024

Everyday details develop an aura of hooded implication. —Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2024

Some Moxy properties will also host aura photography sessions and full moon watch-parties. Passport: Explore the finest destinations and experiences around the world in the Forbes Passport newsletter. —Ramsey Qubein, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin, puff of air, breeze, from Greek; probably akin to Greek aēr air

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Kids Definition

aura

noun

au·​ra ˈȯr-ə 

: a special quality or impression associated with something

an aura of holiness

Medical Definition

aura

noun

au·​ra ˈȯr-ə 

plural auras also aurae -ē 

: a subjective sensation (as of voices or colored lights or crawling and numbness) experienced at the onset of a neurological condition and especially a migraine or epileptic seizure

About 20 percent of migraine sufferers experience an aura as the first symptom of an attack. The aura may be a pulsing star of light, or a dance of geometric forms across the visual field, sometimes turning into hallucinations …

—Natalie Angier, The New York Times

The migraine aura, which consists of episodes of well-defined, transient, focal neurologic dysfunction, develops over the course of more than 4 minutes and usually lasts no more than 60 minutes.

—Sid Gilman, The New England Journal of Medicine

The aura is due to electrical activity originating from the seizure focus and thus represents the earliest manifestations of a partial seizure.

—Gary L. Westbrook, in Principles of Neural Science, 4th edition