Phrase guide

aurora borealis

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Received-Pronunciation: /əˌɹɔːɹ.ə ˈbɔːɹ.i.æl.ɪs/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The aurora of the northern hemisphere.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: northern dawn, northern lights, aurora septentrionalis

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

the aurora of the northern hemisphere

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: northern lights

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: aurora

History

Etymology

Learned borrowing from New Latin aurōra boreālis (literally “northern dawn”).