• IPA: /ˈlaɪt.nɪŋ/
• (America) IPA: /ˈlaɪt.nɪŋ/, [ˈlʌɪ̯ʔ.nɪŋ], [ˈlɐɪ̯ʔ.nɪŋ]

lightning (uncountable)

1. A flash of light produced by short-duration, high-voltage discharge of electricity within a cloud, between clouds, or between a cloud and the earth.

   Although we did not see the lightning, we did hear the thunder.

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), imprinted at London: By Robert Barker, […], OCLC 964384981 ↗, Job 38:35 ↗:

     Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?

2. A discharge of this kind.

   The lightning was hot enough to melt the sand.

   That tree was hit by lightning.

3. (figuratively) Anything that moves very fast.
   • 1918, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Land That Time Forgot, chapter V:

     Nobs, though, was lightning by comparison with the slow thinking beast and dodged his opponent's thrust with ease. Then he raced to the rear of the tremendous thing and seized it by the tail.

4. The act of making bright, or the state of being made bright; enlightenment; brightening, as of the mental powers.

• French: éclair, éloise (Louisiana)
• German: Blitz
• Italian: fulmine, folgore, saetta, lampo
• Portuguese: relâmpago
• Russian: мо́лния
• Spanish: relámpago, rayo

• French: foudre
• German: Entladung
• Portuguese: raio
• Russian: мо́лния
• Spanish: rayo

lightning (not comparable)

1. Extremely fast or sudden; moving (as if) at the speed of lightning.

• Portuguese: veloz
• Russian: молниено́сный

lightning (lightnings, present participle lightninging; past and past participle lightninged)

1. (impersonal, childish or nonstandard, intransitive) To produce lightning.
   • 1988, Carlo Collodi, Roberto Innocenti, The adventures of Pinocchio

     I don't know, Father, but believe me, it has been a horrible night — one that I'll never forget. It thundered and lightninged, and I was very hungry.