nimbus
UK[ˈnɪmbəs]US[ˈnɪmbəs]
n
A large dark grey cloud that brings rain or snow; a type of rain cloud.
n
A luminous cloud or a halo surrounding a supernatural being or a saint.
Morpheme Breakdown
nimb
us
nimb
cloud, rain
us
noun-forming suffix
Etymology
The word 'nimbus' entered English directly from Latin in the early 17th century, retaining its original Latin spelling and core meaning of "cloud," specifically a rain cloud. In Latin, the term also developed the figurative sense of a radiant cloud or aura surrounding a deity, a meaning that was carried into English in religious and artistic contexts. The logical progression from a literal, meteorological "dark cloud" to the abstract, symbolic "luminous halo" is a classic example of semantic extension, where a physical attribute (the diffuse outline of a cloud) is applied to a metaphysical concept. Thus, the modern word seamlessly bridges the natural and the supernatural, from forecasting weather to depicting divinity.
Analysis
Structure: nimb (cloud, rain) + us (noun-forming suffix)
- nimb: From Latin nimbus, meaning "cloud, rainstorm, halo." Its ultimate origin is uncertain but may be related to a Proto-Indo-European root for "moist" or "cloud."
- us: A Latin masculine noun suffix used to form abstract nouns, often adopted directly into English in loanwords.
Examples
The weather forecast warned that a thick nimbus would cover the region by afternoon, bringing heavy showers.
In classical paintings, saints are often depicted with a golden nimbus around their heads.
From the airplane window, we could see the distinct layered structure of the nimbus cloud below.