plural auroras or aurorae
ə-ˈrȯr-(ˌ)ē 
ȯ-
1
: dawn
2
capitalized
: the Roman goddess of dawn compare eos
3
: a luminous phenomenon that consists of streamers or arches of light appearing in the upper atmosphere of a planet's magnetic polar regions and is caused by the emission of light from atoms excited by electrons accelerated along the planet's magnetic field lines
Synonyms
Examples of aurora in a Sentence
a gorgeous pink aurora aroused us out of our slumber
Recent Examples on the Web
The exact times of displays of the aurora are difficult to forecast more than a few minutes in advance.
—
Jamie Carter, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Since the Kp index scale goes up to nine, these indexes mean the aurora could be dimmer, according to the NOAA.
—Cailey Gleeson, Journal Sentinel, 11 Nov. 2024
If an aurora display is forecast by NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, keep an eye on its 30-minute forecast, where the latest updates are posted.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
The sun has reached its solar maximum, meaning more solar storms and spectacular auroras could be in store over the next year.
—Josh Feldman, NBC News, 1 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for aurora 
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Jamie Carter, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Since the Kp index scale goes up to nine, these indexes mean the aurora could be dimmer, according to the NOAA.
—Cailey Gleeson, Journal Sentinel, 11 Nov. 2024
If an aurora display is forecast by NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, keep an eye on its 30-minute forecast, where the latest updates are posted.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
The sun has reached its solar maximum, meaning more solar storms and spectacular auroras could be in store over the next year.
—Josh Feldman, NBC News, 1 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for aurora
Dictionary Entries Near aurora
Cite this Entry
“Aurora.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aurora. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationGeographical Definition
Aurora
geographical name
Au·ro·ra
ə-ˈrȯr-ə
ȯ-
1
city in north central Colorado east of Denver population 325,078
2
city west of Chicago in northeastern Illinois population 197,899
3
town north of Toronto in southeastern Ontario, Canada population 53,203
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