Definition

The light that brightens the sky in urban areas, mainly caused by street lights and other artificial sources.

Example

The skyglow made it difficult to see the stars at night.

Conversation

Have you noticed the skyglow around the city lately?

Yeah, it's pretty bright at night, isn't it?

I wonder how much of it is from all the streetlights.

Probably a lot — it's hard to see the stars with all that light.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Skyglow is formed from "sky" (from Old Norse *ský, meaning cloud or sky) and "glow" (from Old English *glōwan, meaning to shine or emit light). The word describes the light emitted in the sky, often due to artificial illumination in urban areas.

Memory Tip

Imagine the clouds ('sky') shining brightly ('glow') at night due to city lights. This helps you remember that 'skyglow' refers to the light seen in the sky.

Visually Confused Words