Saint Elmo's fire

A form of St. Elmo's fire — An electrical discharge, or corona, seen around pointed objects, caused by ionization of the atmosphere during storms.

Similar
corona dischargecoronacorposantSt. Elmo's fireSaint Elmo's lightSaint Ulmo's fireSaint Ulmo's lightelectric glow
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Meanings

nounSaint Elmo's fire (countable and uncountable, plural Saint Elmo's fires)

plural Saint Elmo's fires

  1. alternativecountableuncountableAlternative spelling of St. Elmo's fire.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounan electrical discharge accompanied by ionization of surrounding atmosphere

Similar
corona dischargecoronacorposantSt. Elmo's fireSaint Elmo's lightSaint Ulmo's fireSaint Ulmo's lightelectric glow
Broader
dischargesparkarc
Also see
coronacorona dischargecorposantst. elmo's fire

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Cite this entry
APA

Saint Elmo's fire. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Saint%20Elmo's%20fire

MLA

“Saint Elmo's fire.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Saint%20Elmo's%20fire. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Saint Elmo's fire,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Saint%20Elmo's%20fire.

Source: Saint Elmo's fire on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.