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
Stunning auroras lit up the skies across much of the United States while snow and bitter cold plunged much of the eastern half of the United States into truly winter-like conditions.
—
Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 14 Nov. 2025
Using both visible and infrared wavelengths, the NOAA satellites were able to capture the hotspots of auroral activity, showing where across North America the auroras were seen.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 14 Nov. 2025
The solar storm has triggered spectacular auroras as far south as Florida, and fueled concerns about broader destruction; several Starlink satellites were destroyed in a 2022 storm.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 13 Nov. 2025
The same solar storms that make auroras possible can also cause temporary disruptions in satellite communications, GPS systems, or even power grids.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aurora
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Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 14 Nov. 2025
Using both visible and infrared wavelengths, the NOAA satellites were able to capture the hotspots of auroral activity, showing where across North America the auroras were seen.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 14 Nov. 2025
The solar storm has triggered spectacular auroras as far south as Florida, and fueled concerns about broader destruction; several Starlink satellites were destroyed in a 2022 storm.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 13 Nov. 2025
The same solar storms that make auroras possible can also cause temporary disruptions in satellite communications, GPS systems, or even power grids.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Nov. 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 17 Nov. 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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