plural auroras or aurorae
ə-ˈrȯr-(ˌ)ē 
ȯ-
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
Examples of aurora in a Sentence
a gorgeous pink aurora aroused us out of our slumber
Recent Examples on the Web
Now, using the unmatched power of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), a new study reveals that the real reason behind this illusion is a self-sustaining loop driven by Saturn’s own auroras.
—
Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 28 Mar. 2026
The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada shared this dramatic timelapse of the weekend auroras.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 23 Mar. 2026
Members can also sign up for email alerts for their location and check the Storm Tracker, which forecasts the strength of auroras in short increments.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Put simply, auroras are a result of the sun interacting with the Earth’s atmosphere.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for aurora
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Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 28 Mar. 2026
The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada shared this dramatic timelapse of the weekend auroras.
—Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 23 Mar. 2026
Members can also sign up for email alerts for their location and check the Storm Tracker, which forecasts the strength of auroras in short increments.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Put simply, auroras are a result of the sun interacting with the Earth’s atmosphere.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for aurora
Cite this Entry
“Aurora.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aurora. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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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