All words
word

aurora borealis

uh-ROR-uh bor-ee-AL-is

ɔːˌrɔːrə ˌbɒriˈeɪlɪs

Listen

Hear it in a clear American voice. Slow it down to catch each syllable.

Syllable breakdown

auroraborealis

Sounds like

The 'au' at the start sounds like 'aw', not 'ow'.

Dictionary meaning

The northern lights — colourful light displays in the sky near the Arctic Circle.

History and origin

Latin — 'northern dawn'.

Examples

  • Tourists travel to Iceland specifically to witness the aurora borealis.

Common mispronunciations

aw-ROR-uhbor-ee-AY-lis

People also look up

Anemone

Uh-nem-uh-nee

Learn one new pronunciation a day

Get a word, name or idiom like “aurora borealis” in your inbox — daily or weekly, free. Unsubscribe any time.

Something wrong? Suggest a correction