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
Within a three-day visit, there is an 88 percent chance of experiencing the aurora borealis, thanks to a combination of Abisko’s remote location, minimal light pollution, and unique microclimate.
—
Carinne Geil Botta, Travel + Leisure, 27 Apr. 2025
Those are the sites where the field is the strongest, which is why auroras are usually visible at more extreme latitudes.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Apr. 2025
The poles sagged toward the equator, the magnetic field expanded, and auroras would have been visible throughout Europe and Northern Africa.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
This expansion meant the aurora could have been visible all over Europe and into northern Africa.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aurora
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Carinne Geil Botta, Travel + Leisure, 27 Apr. 2025
Those are the sites where the field is the strongest, which is why auroras are usually visible at more extreme latitudes.
—Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Apr. 2025
The poles sagged toward the equator, the magnetic field expanded, and auroras would have been visible throughout Europe and Northern Africa.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
This expansion meant the aurora could have been visible all over Europe and into northern Africa.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 16 Apr. 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 1 May. 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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