aurora borealis

noun

aurora bo·​re·​al·​is -ˌbȯr-ē-ˈa-ləs 

: an aurora that occurs in earth's northern hemisphere

called also northern lights

Examples of aurora borealis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

While destinations like Iceland, Norway, and Greenland attract travelers with unparalleled views of the aurora borealis, there are plenty of places Americans can spot the natural wonder closer to home—including some that definitely haven’t been on your For You Page. —Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2025

What To Know According to the SWPC's viewline forecast, the aurora borealis may be visible over parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. —Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025

Known for creating ribbons of colorful light in the night sky, the aurora borealis are polar lights, or aurora polaris, that appear in the northern hemisphere. —Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 16 Oct. 2025

The aurora borealis danced in the night skies over northern Michigan multiple nights this week, and more could be on the way. —Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 3 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, literally, northern dawn

First Known Use

1707, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for aurora borealis

• allis
• balas
• callous
• callus
• chalice
• gallus
• malice
• malus
• palace
• pallas
• phallus
• talis

Kids Definition

aurora borealis

noun

aurora bo·​re·​al·​is -ˌbōr-ē-ˈal-əs 

-ˌbȯr-

: broad bands of light that have a magnetic and electrical source and that appear in the sky at night especially in the arctic region

called also northern lights