heiligenschein

H4E1I1L1I1G2E1N1S1C3H4E1I1N1
/ˈhaɪlɪɡənˌʃaɪn/

noun

An optical phenomenon which creates a bright spot around the shadow of the viewer's head, when the surface on which the shadow falls has special optical characteristics (as with dewy grass).

OriginGerman Heiligenschein →
Scrabble 23
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Meanings

nounheiligenschein (uncountable)
  1. uncountableAn optical phenomenon which creates a bright spot around the shadow of the viewer's head, when the surface on which the shadow falls has special optical characteristics (as with dewy grass).

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
hot spot

Origin

  1. GermanHeiligenschein
  2. Englishheiligenschein

Borrowed from German Heiligenschein.

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

heiligenschein. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heiligenschein

MLA

“heiligenschein.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heiligenschein. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “heiligenschein,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/heiligenschein.

Source: heiligenschein on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.