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 Since the property sits directly under an aurora oval, September through April is the most popular time to visit. Julia Eskins, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2024 The auroras also have cultural and mythological significance. The Arizona Republic, 31 Jan. 2024 The aurora typically forms 80 to 500 kilometers above the Earth's surface. Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 22 Jan. 2024 Also, solar storms such as flares or coronal mass ejections can trigger auroras on Earth, and many bright displays have already been seen this solar cycle. Phil Plait, Scientific American, 5 Jan. 2024 With the aurora season running from fall to spring here, the most strategic times tend to be March, April, September, and October, Expedia said. Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2024 Ferocious solar storms may have helped life take root on Earth, NASA says Why auroras, solar storms may occur more frequently More frequent aurora displays are likely in the coming years, as the sun reaches the solar maximum stage of its magnetic field activity in 2025, Dahl said. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 22 Jan. 2024 On Earth, auroras are created when the sun’s solar wind of subatomic particles is swept up by our planet’s magnetic field. Phil Plait, Scientific American, 19 Jan. 2024 This activity should make the northern lights (also known as the aurora borealis) more visible farther south than usual—possibly as far south as the 40th parallel north, which cuts through the northern United States. Emily Matchar, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'aurora.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 19 Mar. 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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