What does fulgurate mean?
Fulgurate means to flash or gleam, especially with a brilliance likened to lightning. In its more literal uses, it describes light that flashes suddenly and intensely, such as sparks, electrical discharges, or reflected glints. Figuratively, it can suggest a brief, striking display of brilliance or a rapidly changing succession of flashes. The word belongs chiefly to formal, literary, or descriptive English rather than everyday conversation, so it lends vividness to descriptions of storms, fires, signals, and similar scenes. Its force comes from its Latin ancestry: fulgurate comes from a word meaning “to flash like lightning.” Although uncommon, the verb remains useful when an author wants more than the plain word flash and wishes to emphasize the suddenness, intensity, or lightning-like character of the light. It is normally used intransitively, with a subject that does the flashing.
verbTo flash or gleam, especially with the sudden intensity of lightning.
- To flash or shine suddenly and intensely, like lightning.
- Figuratively, to flash with brilliance or produce a rapid succession of striking lights.
"The signal tower fulgurated against the darkening sky."
"The signal tower fulgurated against the darkening sky."
"Candles fulgurated in the draft as the shutters rattled."
Lightning gave this verb its glow: fulgurate descends from the Latin for “to flash like lightning.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does fulgurate come from?
Fulgurate comes from Latin fulgurāre, “to flash like lightning,” formed from fulgur, “lightning.” English adopted the Latinate verb in the early nineteenth century. Related English forms—including fulgur, fulgurous, fulguration, and fulgurite—continue to preserve the same Roman association with lightning and flashes.
Related word forms
How fulgurate is actually used
This is a rare, literary or descriptive verb rather than part of everyday English. It is normally used intransitively and is especially effective for suggesting sudden, intense, lightning-like flashes.