1
a(1)
: a distinctive atmosphere surrounding a given source
The place had an aura of mystery.
(2)
slang
: the quality of being impressively cool (see cool entry 1 sense 7b), charming, or appealing
Throughout social media, users are saying their favorite athletes have aura because of their effortlessly cool appearance in games.—
Dan Aulbach
Dan Aulbach
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
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Slang Meaning of Aura
Aura also is used to mean “stylishness” or “confident and suave excellence.” Learn more >
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
Jordan Brand introduced the Air Jordan 1 High ’85 build in 2020, aiming to improve upon the sneaker’s modern reissues, which had lost some of their original aura over the decades.
—Riley Jones, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2025
An eerie aura settles over Denton, Texas, in October, turning its town square into a destination that attracts Halloween lovers from around the world.
—Kristen Tribe, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2025
The aura of loserdom hovers over him.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2025
In that silence, the aura of D’Angelo only grew wider.
—Marcus J. Moore, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aura
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Riley Jones, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2025
An eerie aura settles over Denton, Texas, in October, turning its town square into a destination that attracts Halloween lovers from around the world.
—Kristen Tribe, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2025
The aura of loserdom hovers over him.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2025
In that silence, the aura of D’Angelo only grew wider.
—Marcus J. Moore, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aura
Cite this Entry
“Aura.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aura. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
aura
noun
au·ra
ˈȯr-ə 
: a special quality or impression associated with something
an aura of mystery
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
Natalie Angier, The New York TimesThe 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
Sid Gilman, The New England Journal of MedicineThe 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
Gary L. Westbrook, in Principles of Neural Science, 4th editionLove words? Need even more definitions?
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