aurora

noun

au·​ro·​ra ə-ˈrȯr-ə How to pronounce aurora (audio)
ȯ-
plural auroras or aurorae ə-ˈrȯr-(ˌ)ē How to pronounce aurora (audio)
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
auroral adjective
aurorean adjective

Examples of aurora in a Sentence

a gorgeous pink aurora aroused us out of our slumber
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Northern Lights: Best Place To See 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 Grand Canyon is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, with other standouts like Mount Everest and the aurora borealis. Graham Averill, Outside Online, 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 The agency also maintains an aurora dashboard that should help skygazers track the phenomenon. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 27 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for aurora 

Word History

Etymology

Latin — more at east

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of aurora was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near aurora

Cite this Entry

“Aurora.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aurora. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

aurora

noun
au·​ro·​ra ə-ˈrōr-ə How to pronounce aurora (audio)
ȯ-ˈrōr-,
-ˈrȯr-
plural auroras or aurorae -ē How to pronounce aurora (audio)
auroral adjective

Geographical Definition

Aurora

geographical name

Au·​ro·​ra ə-ˈrȯr-ə How to pronounce Aurora (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on aurora

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