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
Lights seekers increase their chances of catching Mother Nature’s most spectacular show by chasing the aurora borealis.
—
Jamie Davis Smith, USA TODAY, 1 Feb. 2025
Where Will The Northern Lights Be Visible? Northern Canada and most of Alaska will have a higher chance of viewing aurora borealis than states just north of the view line, which sweeps just below the Canadian border.
—Ty Roush, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
More auroras, supermoons and a lunar eclipse The year is off to a bright start with meteor showers beginning with the Quadrantids, which will peak in the early morning hours on Jan. 3, 2025, according to NASA.
—Chandelis Duster, NPR, 1 Jan. 2025
The dataset covers the period between September 2004 and December 2023 and will enable researchers to explore and model some of the mysterious phenomena that take place at higher altitudes, including the mesmerizing aurora borealis and its antipodean counterpart, the aurora australis.
—Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 21 Jan. 2025
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Jamie Davis Smith, USA TODAY, 1 Feb. 2025
Where Will The Northern Lights Be Visible? Northern Canada and most of Alaska will have a higher chance of viewing aurora borealis than states just north of the view line, which sweeps just below the Canadian border.
—Ty Roush, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
More auroras, supermoons and a lunar eclipse The year is off to a bright start with meteor showers beginning with the Quadrantids, which will peak in the early morning hours on Jan. 3, 2025, according to NASA.
—Chandelis Duster, NPR, 1 Jan. 2025
The dataset covers the period between September 2004 and December 2023 and will enable researchers to explore and model some of the mysterious phenomena that take place at higher altitudes, including the mesmerizing aurora borealis and its antipodean counterpart, the aurora australis.
—Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 21 Jan. 2025
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 6 Feb. 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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