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-
Synonyms of aurora
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
auroral
ə-ˈrȯr-əl How to pronounce aurora (audio)
ȯ-
adjective
aurorean
ə-ˈrȯr-ē-ən How to pronounce aurora (audio)
ȯ-
adjective

Synonyms of aurora

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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.
The skies over England were bright with auroras on October 18, 1848, as the Sun was entering a more active phase in its solar cycle. — Mike McRae 15, New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2026 Menon's photo reveals spectacular pink, purple and red auroras glowing in Earth's upper atmosphere above a sparse dappling of city lights, subtly blurred by the motion of the orbital spacecraft over the course of the exposure. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 13 Oct. 2026 This type of signal is what Berger and his colleagues detected from Beta Pictoris b, which ultimately points to the presence of an intense magnetic field that’s causing auroras and the radio emission. — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026 The storm produced strong changes in Earth’s magnetic environment and pushed auroras to unusually low latitudes. — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026 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

Phrases Containing aurora

Rhymes for aurora

See All Rhymes for aurora

Browse Nearby Words

aurocyanide
aurora
Aurora
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Cite this Entry

“Aurora.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aurora. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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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
2
city west of Chicago in northeastern Illinois
3
town north of Toronto in southeastern Ontario, Canada

More from Merriam-Webster on aurora

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about aurora

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