ScienceAugust 16, 2026

borealis

bor-ee-AL-iss

Definition

Refers to the northern lights, specifically part of the term 'aurora borealis', which describes the luminous phenomenon caused by solar particles colliding with Earth's atmosphere.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek word 'Boreas', the name of the god of the north wind. It entered English via Latin, where it is used to describe things related to the north.

In the news

The article uses 'borealis' as part of the formal name for the northern lights to describe the specific atmospheric phenomenon potentially visible in northern US states. It is important here to distinguish this natural light display from other celestial events.

Northern Lights could light up skies across 9 US states today: Locations and viewing time explained

Read the full article ↗

The News International

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