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-
Synonyms of auroranext
1
: dawn
2
Aurora : 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.
Depending on the intensity of the storm conditions, auroras may be visible in states as far south as Oregon, Wyoming, Iowa, Illinois, New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 12 June 2026 Still, auroras are notoriously fickle and can appear earlier or later depending on how the solar material interacts with Earth’s magnetic field. Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026 But Meir made good use of her temporary surroundings, capturing truly incredible images (and even video) of auroras over Earth from the Dragon. Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 9 June 2026 Notably, the forecast arrival times of CMEs can change by hours, which could lead to brighter-than-expected auroras in the sky Monday night. Connor Greene, Time, 8 June 2026 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Aurora.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aurora. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.

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

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