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

To check its visibility, weather services maintain aurora borealis forecasts, such as The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of Alaska Fairbanks. —Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 3 Feb. 2026

This can cause an increase in phenomena like aurora borealis sightings, as well as, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac, warmer temperatures on Earth. —Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 30 Jan. 2026

Around mid-March 2026, a combination of the solar cycle, celestial mechanics and dark skies will align to create prime conditions for aurora borealis sightings across the Northern Hemisphere. —Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026

The aurora borealis — the phenomenon more commonly known as the northern lights — was spotted all across southwestern Pennsylvania, including in Butler, Indiana, Westmoreland, Washington and Venango counties. —Michael Guise, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026

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