nimbus

See also: Nimbus

English

WOTD – 1 December 2006

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin nimbus (“dark cloud”). Doublet of nimb.

Sense 2 (“grey rain cloud”) was coined by the British chemist and amateur meteorologist Luke Howard (1772–1864): see the 1803 quotation.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /ˈnɪmbəs/

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

• Audio (Australia):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪmbəs
• Hyphenation: nimb‧us

Noun

nimbus (plural nimbi or nimbuses)

1. A circle of light; a halo.
3. (meteorology) A grey rain cloud.
   • 1803 July, Luke Howard, “XVIII. On the Modifications of Clouds, and on the Principles of Their Production, Suspension, and Destruction; being the Substance of an Essay Read before the Askesian Society in the Session 1802–3.”, in Alexander Tilloch, editor, The Philosophical Magazine and Journal: Comprehending the Various Branches of Science, the Liberal and Fine Arts, Agriculture, Manufactures, and Commerce, volume XVI, number 62, London: […] [Richard Taylor] for Alexander Tilloch; and sold by Messrs. Richardson, […], →ISSN, →OCLC, pages 99–100 and 107:

     [pages 99–100] Cumulo-cirro-stratus vel Nimbus. […] The rain cloud. A cloud or system of clouds from which rain is falling. It is a horizontal sheet, above which the cirrus spreads, while the cumulus enters it laterally and from beneath. […] [page 107] The nimbus, although in itself one of the least beautiful clouds, is yet now and then superbly decorated with its attendant the rainbow; which can only be seen in perfection when backed by the widely extended uniform gloom of this modification.

Usage notes

• (circle of light): In heraldry and art, a nimbus may be considered distinct from a halo. The term halo can refer to an open ring of light or of gold behind the head of a saint, while nimbus refers to a solid disk of light or gold.

Derived terms

• nimbused
• nimbuslike

Related terms

• nimbed

Translations

circle of light — see also halo

• Bulgarian: ореол (bg) f (oreol), нимба f (nimba)
• Catalan: nimbe (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 暈 / 晕 (zh) (yùn), 光環 / 光环 (zh) (guānghuán), 光輪 / 光轮 (zh) (guānglún), 圓光 / 圆光 (zh) (yuánguāng)

• Czech: nimbus (cs) m
• Dutch: nimbus (nl), halo (nl) m
• Esperanto: aŭreolo
• Finnish: sädekehä (fi)
• French: nimbe (fr) m
• German: Nimbus (de) m
• Indonesian: nimbus
• Italian: nimbo (it) m
• Japanese: 後光 (ja) (ごこう, gokō), 暈 (ja) (かさ, kasa), 光環 (ja) (こうかん, kōkan)
• Latin: nimbus (la) m
• Polish: nimb m, nimbus (pl) m
• Portuguese: nimbo (pt) m
• Russian: нимб (ru) m (nimb), орео́л (ru) m (oreól)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: нимбус m, ореол m, светокруг m, ауреола f, хало n

  Latin: nimbus (sh) m, oreol (sh) m, svetokrug (sh) m, aureola (sh) f, halo (sh) n

• Swedish: nimbus (sv) c
• Turkish: ayla (tr), hale (tr)
• Welsh: lleugylch m

rain cloud

• Bulgarian: дъждовен облак m (dăždoven oblak)
• Chichewa: khongwa class 5
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 雨雲 / 雨云 (zh) (yǔyún)

• Czech: nimbus (cs) m
• Dutch: nimbus (nl) m
• Finnish: sadepilvi, nimbus (fi)
• French: nimbus (fr) m
• German: Nimbus (de) m
• Indonesian: nimbus
• Japanese: 雨雲 (ja) (あまぐも, amagumo)
• Korean: 난운 (nanun)
• Latin: nimbus (la) m
• Māori: okewa, kēkēao
• Polish: nimbus (pl) m
• Portuguese: nimbo (pt) m
• Russian: дождево́е о́блако n (doždevóje óblako)
• Spanish: nimbo (es) m
• Tagalog: dagim, ulaning alapaap
• Turkish: yağmur bulutu (tr)
• Welsh: nimbws m

Catalan

Alternative forms

• nimbe

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin nimbus. Doublet of nimbe.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Barcelona):

  (file)

Noun

nimbus m (invariable)

1. nimbus (cloud)

Further reading

• “nimbus”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007

Finnish

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin nimbus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnimbus/, [ˈnimbus̠]
• Rhymes: -imbus
• Syllabification^(key): nim‧bus
• Hyphenation^(key): nim‧bus

Noun

nimbus

1. synonym of sadepilvi (“nimbus”)

Declension

Inflection of nimbus (Kotus type 39/vastaus, no gradation)
nominative		nimbus	nimbukset
genitive		nimbuksen	nimbusten nimbuksien
partitive		nimbusta	nimbuksia
illative		nimbukseen	nimbuksiin
		singular	plural
nominative		nimbus	nimbukset
accusative	nom.	nimbus	nimbukset
	gen.	nimbuksen
genitive		nimbuksen	nimbusten nimbuksien
partitive		nimbusta	nimbuksia
inessive		nimbuksessa	nimbuksissa
elative		nimbuksesta	nimbuksista
illative		nimbukseen	nimbuksiin
adessive		nimbuksella	nimbuksilla
ablative		nimbukselta	nimbuksilta
allative		nimbukselle	nimbuksille
essive		nimbuksena	nimbuksina
translative		nimbukseksi	nimbuksiksi
abessive		nimbuksetta	nimbuksitta
instructive		—	nimbuksin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of nimbus (Kotus type 39/vastaus, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative nimbukseni nimbukseni accusative nom. nimbukseni nimbukseni gen. nimbukseni genitive nimbukseni nimbusteni nimbuksieni partitive nimbustani nimbuksiani inessive nimbuksessani nimbuksissani elative nimbuksestani nimbuksistani illative nimbukseeni nimbuksiini adessive nimbuksellani nimbuksillani ablative nimbukseltani nimbuksiltani allative nimbukselleni nimbuksilleni essive nimbuksenani nimbuksinani translative nimbuksekseni nimbuksikseni abessive nimbuksettani nimbuksittani instructive — — comitative — nimbuksineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative nimbuksesi nimbuksesi accusative nom. nimbuksesi nimbuksesi gen. nimbuksesi genitive nimbuksesi nimbustesi nimbuksiesi partitive nimbustasi nimbuksiasi inessive nimbuksessasi nimbuksissasi elative nimbuksestasi nimbuksistasi illative nimbukseesi nimbuksiisi adessive nimbuksellasi nimbuksillasi ablative nimbukseltasi nimbuksiltasi allative nimbuksellesi nimbuksillesi essive nimbuksenasi nimbuksinasi translative nimbukseksesi nimbuksiksesi abessive nimbuksettasi nimbuksittasi instructive — — comitative — nimbuksinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative nimbuksemme nimbuksemme accusative nom. nimbuksemme nimbuksemme gen. nimbuksemme genitive nimbuksemme nimbustemme nimbuksiemme partitive nimbustamme nimbuksiamme inessive nimbuksessamme nimbuksissamme elative nimbuksestamme nimbuksistamme illative nimbukseemme nimbuksiimme adessive nimbuksellamme nimbuksillamme ablative nimbukseltamme nimbuksiltamme allative nimbuksellemme nimbuksillemme essive nimbuksenamme nimbuksinamme translative nimbukseksemme nimbuksiksemme abessive nimbuksettamme nimbuksittamme instructive — — comitative — nimbuksinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative nimbuksenne nimbuksenne accusative nom. nimbuksenne nimbuksenne gen. nimbuksenne genitive nimbuksenne nimbustenne nimbuksienne partitive nimbustanne nimbuksianne inessive nimbuksessanne nimbuksissanne elative nimbuksestanne nimbuksistanne illative nimbukseenne nimbuksiinne adessive nimbuksellanne nimbuksillanne ablative nimbukseltanne nimbuksiltanne allative nimbuksellenne nimbuksillenne essive nimbuksenanne nimbuksinanne translative nimbukseksenne nimbuksiksenne abessive nimbuksettanne nimbuksittanne instructive — — comitative — nimbuksinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative nimbuksensa nimbuksensa accusative nom. nimbuksensa nimbuksensa gen. nimbuksensa genitive nimbuksensa nimbustensa nimbuksiensa partitive nimbustaan nimbustansa nimbuksiaan nimbuksiansa inessive nimbuksessaan nimbuksessansa nimbuksissaan nimbuksissansa elative nimbuksestaan nimbuksestansa nimbuksistaan nimbuksistansa illative nimbukseensa nimbuksiinsa adessive nimbuksellaan nimbuksellansa nimbuksillaan nimbuksillansa ablative nimbukseltaan nimbukseltansa nimbuksiltaan nimbuksiltansa allative nimbukselleen nimbuksellensa nimbuksilleen nimbuksillensa essive nimbuksenaan nimbuksenansa nimbuksinaan nimbuksinansa translative nimbuksekseen nimbukseksensa nimbuksikseen nimbuksiksensa abessive nimbuksettaan nimbuksettansa nimbuksittaan nimbuksittansa instructive — — comitative — nimbuksineen nimbuksinensa

Indonesian

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin nimbus.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈnimbus/ [ˈnim.bʊs]
• Rhymes: -imbus
• Syllabification: nim‧bus

Noun

nimbus (plural nimbus-nimbus)

1. nimbus:
   1. (Catholicism) a circle of light; a halo, a luminous disc, often of gold, around or over the heads of saints, etc., in religious paintings
   2. (geology) a gray rain cloud
2. halo

Further reading

• “nimbus”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Latin

Etymology

Seemingly from Proto-Indo-European *nébʰos (“cloud”) with an *-n- infix, but the formal details are disputed. Possibly contaminated either by a zero-grade variant *imbus or by the related word imber (“rain”), if not borrowed from another Indo-European language. Cognates include Latin nebula, Proto-Slavic *nebo (“heaven, sky”), Sanskrit नभस् (nábhas, “sky”) and Ancient Greek νέφος (néphos, “cloud”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈnɪm.bʊs]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈnim.bus]

Noun

nimbus m (genitive nimbī); second declension

1. rainstorm, rain shower
2. rain cloud, thunder cloud, storm cloud
   • 29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 1.51–52:

     nimbōrum in patriam, loca fēta furentibus Austrīs,
     Aeoliam venit.

     In the homeland of storm clouds, a place teeming with raging South winds, [Queen Juno] reached Aeolia.
     (See Aeolia (mythical island); Anemoi.)

3. cloud
4. halo (visible aura of divine power)
5. throng
6. (figuratively) calamity, tempest

Declension

Second-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	nimbus	nimbī
genitive	nimbī	nimbōrum
dative	nimbō	nimbīs
accusative	nimbum	nimbōs
ablative	nimbō	nimbīs
vocative	nimbe	nimbī

Descendants

• Italo-Dalmatian:
  • Istriot: nenbo
  • Italian: nembo
  • Venetan: nenbo

Borrowings:

• → Catalan: nimbe, nimbus
• → English: nimb, nimbus
• → French: nimbe
• → Italian: nimbo
• → Portuguese: nimbo
• → Russian: нимб (nimb)
• → Spanish: nimbo

See also

• nebula
• nūbēs
• nūbifer
• nūbigena
• nūbilum
• nūbilus

References

• “nimbus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “nimbus”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• "nimbus", in Charles du Fresne du Cange, Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• “nimbus”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.

Polish

nimbus

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin nimbus, from Proto-Indo-European *nébʰos. Doublet of niebo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɲim.bus/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -imbus
• Syllabification: nim‧bus

Noun

nimbus m inan

1. nimbus (rain cloud)
2. (archaic, art, Christianity) aureole, glory, halo, nimbus (luminous disc around the heads of saints in sacred art)

   Synonyms: aureola, gloria, nimb

Declension

Declension of nimbus

	singular	plural
nominative	nimbus	nimbusy
genitive	nimbusa	nimbusów
dative	nimbusowi	nimbusom
accusative	nimbus	nimbusy
instrumental	nimbusem	nimbusami
locative	nimbusie	nimbusach
vocative	nimbusie	nimbusy

Further reading

• “nimbus”, in Wielki słownik języka polskiego‎^[1] (in Polish), Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• “nimbus”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[2] (in Polish)

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French nimbus.

Noun

nimbus m (plural nimbuși)

1. nimbus

Declension

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	nimbus	nimbusul	nimbuși	nimbușii
genitive-dative	nimbus	nimbusului	nimbuși	nimbușilor
vocative	nimbusule		nimbușilor

Serbo-Croatian

Noun

nimbus m inan (Cyrillic spelling нимбус)

1. (religion) halo
2. nimbus

Synonyms

• oreol