Skip to main content
aurora

aurora

1 8.6
The first light of day when the sky begins to brighten
  • noun
  • /əˈrɔrə/
  • Literature
: alba
  • Rosaura, as an anagram for auroras, signals the coming of day.

Examples

  • "This is a fusion bomb," DeLillo reminds us; among other things, this digital representation of Armageddon fuses the computer, the dead nun, and the blast itself, "a great aurora glory massing on the color monitor."

    Academic text (1997)
  • As dawn broke, the soft light of the aurora painted the sky in shades of pink and gold.

  • And, of course, I set it to Icelandic time because we share a love of the aurora borealis, Gordy.

  • Astraea's return, the spirit's return, serves to commence the healing process and to plant the seed that represents the dawn (auroras) of an age of gold.

    Academic text (1992)
  • The poet described the aurora as a gentle reminder that a new day had arrived.

  • Early risers marveled at the beauty of the aurora, signaling the start of a bright morning.

Synonyms

dawn
vsaurora
349 1.0

The first light in the sky before the sun rises

is the poetic or literary term for that first morning light
sunrise
vsaurora
154 1.0

The time in the morning when the sun comes up and day begins

refers to the earlier first light that comes before the sun appears
first light
vsaurora
33 1.7

The time in the morning when the sky starts to get bright

is the poetic or literary term for that initial morning brightness
daybreak
vsaurora
32 1.0

The time in the early morning when light first appears in the sky

is the poetic or literary term often used for that same moment
sunup
vsaurora
  • Informal
11 1.0

The time in the morning when the sun first appears above the horizon

refers to the earlier first light that comes before the sun rises
break of day
vsaurora
6 1.0

The first light of morning when the sun rises

is the poetic or literary label for that early morning time
dawning
vsaurora
6 3.7

The time when the first light appears in the morning

is the poetic or literary term used for that beginning of light
break of the day
vsaurora
1 1.9

The first light of morning when the sun begins to appear

is the poetic or literary expression for that same moment
dawnlight
vsaurora
1 3.9

Soft pale light that appears in the sky just before sunrise

is the poetic term for that early light rather than the light quality
cockcrow
vsaurora
  • Archaic
1 9.1

The time very early in the morning when light first appears

is the poetic or literary term for that early morning light
dayspring
vsaurora
  • Archaic
1 9.9

First light in the morning when the sky begins to get bright

is the poetic or literary word used for that first light
dayshine
vsaurora
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Light from the sun during the day

is the poetic literary term specifically for the very first morning light

Compounds

aurora borealis
  • Specialized
10 7.6

A natural show of bright, colorful lights in the night sky in northern regions

aurora australis
  • Specialized
1 8.1

A natural light show in the southern sky near the South Pole

Surface Forms

aurora singular
auroras plural

Etymology

Aurora comes from the Latin name Aurora, the Roman goddess of the dawn, and it means 'first light of day'. That is why poets and writers use aurora to name the moment when night becomes morning.