aurora borealis

English

aurora borealis

Etymology

Learned borrowing from New Latin aurōra boreālis (lit. "northern dawn").

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /əˌɹɔːɹ.ə ˈbɔːɹ.i.æl.ɪs/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

aurora borealis

1. The aurora of the northern hemisphere.

   Synonyms: northern dawn, northern lights, aurora septentrionalis

   Coordinate terms: aurora australis, southern lights

   • 1996 April 14, “22 Short Films About Springfield”, in The Simpsons, season 7, episode 21, production code 3F18:

     Superintendent Chalmers: Yes, I should be—Good Lord what is happening in there!?
     Principal Skinner: Aurora borealis.
     Superintendent Chalmers: Uh—Aurora borealis, at this time of year, at this time of day, in this part of the country, localised entirely within your kitchen?
     Principal Skinner: Yes.
     Superintendent Chalmers: May I see it?
     Principal Skinner: No.
     

   • 2023 November 15, Prof. Jim Wild, “This train was delayed because of bad weather in space”, in RAIL, number 996, page 30:

     A common and beautiful side-effect of high solar activity is the Aurora Borealis - the northern lights that dance across Arctic skies.

Translations

aurora of the northern hemisphere — see northern lights