noun
Uncommon
aurora
uh-RAW-ruh
Aurora (noun) means a natural display of shifting coloured lights in the night sky near the polar regions, caused by charged particles from the sun. Example: “Tourists travel to Iceland hoping to see the aurora dance across the sky.”
noun
1
A natural display of shifting coloured lights in the night sky near the polar regions, caused by charged particles from the sun.
"Tourists travel to Iceland hoping to see the aurora dance across the sky."
"The aurora borealis lit up the northern horizon in shades of green and purple."
"We stood in the cold field at midnight, waiting for the aurora to appear."
2
Literary term for the first light of dawn.
"The poem describes the aurora breaking gently over the hills."
How to use aurora
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe colourful natural light show seen in the sky near the North and South Poles, or, poetically, the dawn itself.
Common pairings
aurora borealis
aurora australis
see the aurora
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like aurora.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- auroras, aurorae
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Tourists travel to Iceland hoping to see the _____ dance across the sky.
Etymology
From Latin aurōra ("dawn"), also the name of the Roman goddess of the dawn.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for aurora
See all rhymes for aurora →Frequently asked questions
What does “aurora” mean?
The word “aurora” means a natural display of shifting coloured lights in the night sky near the polar regions, caused by charged particles from the sun. In plain terms, the colourful natural light show seen in the sky near the North and South Poles, or, poetically, the dawn itself.
How do you pronounce “aurora”?
“Aurora” is pronounced uh-RAW-ruh (/əˈɹɔɹ.ə/ in IPA).
How do you use “aurora” in a sentence?
Here is “aurora” used in a sentence: “Tourists travel to Iceland hoping to see the aurora dance across the sky.”
What part of speech is “aurora”?
“Aurora” is a noun.
Where does the word “aurora” come from?
The word “aurora” comes from Latin. From Latin aurōra ("dawn"), also the name of the Roman goddess of the dawn.
Is “aurora” a common word?
“Aurora” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “aurora” have?
“Aurora” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a natural display of shifting coloured lights in the night sky near the polar regions, caused by charged particles from the sun.
What causes an aurora to appear in the sky?
An aurora is caused by charged particles from the sun colliding with gases in the upper atmosphere near the polar regions. This interaction produces shifting bands of coloured light, most visible in clear night skies at high latitudes.
What is the difference between the aurora borealis and the aurora australis?
Both terms describe the same natural phenomenon of coloured lights near the poles; "aurora borealis" refers to the display seen in the Northern Hemisphere, while "aurora australis" refers to the equivalent display in the Southern Hemisphere. The underlying cause, charged particles from the sun, is identical for both.
Can aurora refer to something other than the polar lights?
Yes. Aurora is also a literary term for the first light of dawn, used in poetry and older writing to describe daybreak rather than the polar light display.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include aurora:
