ball lightning

Questions

What does ball lightning mean?

A short-lived glowing ball sometimes observed to float in the air and thought to consist of ionized gas associated with thunderstorms.

Where does ball lightning come from?

A calque of German Kugelblitz.

How to pronounce ball lightning

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “ball lightning”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “ball lightning”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “ball lightning” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.