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
Examples of aurora in a Sentence
a gorgeous pink aurora aroused us out of our slumber
Recent Examples on the Web
It’s known to be a particularly active time for auroras due to the tilt of the Earth.
—
Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 1 Mar. 2025
Exactly one month ago, NOAA predicted the auroras to be visible on New Year's Eve.
—Skyler Caruso, People.com, 31 Jan. 2025
While sunspots are in many ways the opposite of coronal holes, this is still good news for those after a glimpse of the northern lights—as sunspots are known to release both solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which can trigger stunning aurora here on Earth.
—Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 28 Jan. 2025
Most people experience auroras from on the ground where the lights dance across the horizon.
—Amanda Kooser, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aurora
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Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 1 Mar. 2025
Exactly one month ago, NOAA predicted the auroras to be visible on New Year's Eve.
—Skyler Caruso, People.com, 31 Jan. 2025
While sunspots are in many ways the opposite of coronal holes, this is still good news for those after a glimpse of the northern lights—as sunspots are known to release both solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which can trigger stunning aurora here on Earth.
—Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 28 Jan. 2025
Most people experience auroras from on the ground where the lights dance across the horizon.
—Amanda Kooser, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aurora
Cite this Entry
“Aurora.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aurora. Accessed 15 Mar. 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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