northern lights

plural noun

: aurora borealis

Examples of northern lights in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As a resident of the upper Midwest, the northern lights are a really big deal; people travel miles and miles just to see them. — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 14 Aug. 2026

With a maximum totality of two minutes and 37 seconds and the aurora season at its peak close to the equinox, adventurous travelers could combine totality with a northern lights expedition in the Arctic Circle. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

What to read next To have any realistic chance of seeing the northern lights during the eclipse, Earth would need to be in the grip of a severe geomagnetic storm. — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 10 Aug. 2026

When Colonel Dalman was a child in Juneau, Alaska, for instance, his dad would wake him in the middle of the night to see the northern lights. — Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 30 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for northern lights

• acolytes
• ammonites
• amorites
• analytes
• andesites
• appetites
• argillites
• astrocytes
• belemnites
• bryophytes
• canaanites
• carmelites

Kids Definition

northern lights

plural noun

: aurora borealis