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Glite Dictionary
Saint Ulmo's fire

Saint Ulmo's fire

9.9
A bluish purple glow that appears on pointed metal parts like ship masts or airplane wings during storms
  • noun
  • /seɪnt ˈʌlmoʊz faɪər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : fuego de San Elmo
  • During the storm, we witnessed a bright Saint Ulmo's fire on the ship's mast.

Examples

  • Pilots occasionally report seeing Saint Ulmo's fire dancing on cockpit windows in turbulent weather.

  • Sailors took the appearance of Saint Ulmo's fire as a sign of protection during dangerous voyages.

  • During the storm, a mysterious Saint Ulmo's fire gleamed on the tips of the ship's masts.

  • Have you ever seen Saint Ulmo's fire while sailing?

  • During the storm, a mysterious Saint Ulmo's fire gleamed on the tips of the ship's masts.

  • Pilots occasionally report seeing Saint Ulmo's fire dancing on cockpit windows in turbulent weather.

  • Sailors took the appearance of Saint Ulmo's fire as a sign of protection during dangerous voyages.

Synonyms

corposant
vsSaint Ulmo's fire
  • Archaic
9.9

A glowing electric light that appears on pointed objects like a ship's mast during storms

is the identical phenomenon but called by a different traditional name
Saint Elmo's fire
vsSaint Ulmo's fire
  • Specialized
9.9

A blue or violet glow that appears on pointed objects during storms

refers to the same storm phenomenon but with a different name
Saint Ulmo's light
vsSaint Ulmo's fire
  • Specialized
9.9

A faint blue glow that appears on ship masts or airplane wings during storms caused by electricity in the air

expresses the same glowing storm phenomenon but under another name
electric glow
vsSaint Ulmo's fire
  • Specialized
6.2

A faint light that appears when electricity passes through air, like on antennas or wires

is the more specific glow near points during storms rather than any discharge
corona discharge
vsSaint Ulmo's fire
  • Specialized
7.9

A faint glow around a high-voltage wire when the air becomes charged

is the storm related glow occurring on pointed objects and often stronger
corona
vsSaint Ulmo's fire
  • Specialized
8.2

A faint glow of electricity around a high-voltage wire

is the natural, visible storm glow on pointed items rather than general discharge

Surface Forms

Saint Ulmo's fire singular
Saint Ulmo's fires plural

Morphology

saint + Ulmo's + fire

Even though a learner may know 'saint' and 'fire', the phrase refers to a specific eponymous meteorological/electrical phenomenon (St. Elmo's fire) tied to a proper name ('Ulmo's' here is opaque/unattested). The precise sense — a bluish electrical glow on masts/airframes — cannot be predicted from the literal meanings of the parts, so a B1 learner would not be able to derive it from the constituents.

Etymology

Saint Ulmo's fire comes from old sailors who saw a blue or violet light on the tips of a ship's masts during storms and thought a saint was protecting them. One popular story says the name links Saint Ulmo, a protector of sailors, and the bright fire they saw, so today the phrase means 'a blue electrical glow' on pointed objects like masts or plane parts.