Saint Elmo's fire

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈɛlməʊz/US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(el′mōz).


WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
Saint′ El′mo's fire′  (el′mōz).USA pronunciation 
  1. ElectricitySee St. Elmo's fire. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
Saint Elmo's fire / ˈɛlməʊz/
usually abbreviated to: St Elmo's fire
  1. (not in technical usage) a luminous region that sometimes appears around church spires, the masts of ships, etc. It is a corona discharge in the air caused by atmospheric electricity
Etymology: 16th Century: so called because it was associated with Saint Elmo (a corruption, via Sant'Ermo, of Saint Erasmus, died 303) the patron saint of Mediterranean sailors
'Saint Elmo's fire' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
corona discharge

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