aurora

noun

au·​ro·​ra ə-ˈrȯr-ə How to pronounce aurora (audio)
ȯ-
plural auroras or aurorae ə-ˈrȯr-(ˌ)ē How to pronounce aurora (audio)
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
auroral adjective
aurorean adjective

Examples of aurora in a Sentence

a gorgeous pink aurora aroused us out of our slumber
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Outside North America, both aurora borealis and aurora australis were seen in abundance. Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025 The northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis, may be visible in northern states, according to the NOAA. Julia Gomez, USA Today, 2 June 2025 While Sunday night marked the peak of this celestial event, residents along the Canadian border -- from Washington state to Michigan's Upper Peninsula -- might still catch glimpses of the aurora borealis low on the horizon Monday night. Doc Louallen, ABC News, 2 June 2025 Aside from the spectacular display of vibrant colors that light up the night sky up above, the best part about the aurora borealis is that little to no technology is needed to spot them from Earth. Skyler Caruso, People.com, 2 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for aurora

Word History

Etymology

Latin — more at east

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of aurora was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Aurora.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aurora. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

aurora

noun
au·​ro·​ra ə-ˈrōr-ə How to pronounce aurora (audio)
ȯ-ˈrōr-,
-ˈrȯr-
plural auroras or aurorae -ē How to pronounce aurora (audio)
auroral adjective

Geographical Definition

Aurora

geographical name

Au·​ro·​ra ə-ˈrȯr-ə How to pronounce Aurora (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on aurora

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