alpenglow
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of alpenglow
1870–75; < German Alpenglühen, with glow replacing German glühen
Explanation
Alpenglow is the reddish light you can sometimes see on the tops of mountains, especially snow-covered mountains, just before the sun rises or right after it sets. Alpenglow is a phenomenon that's unique to the mountains. When the sun is below the visible horizon, tall mountains can still catch the sun's rays. Just before sunrise and after sunset, longer-wavelength red and orange sunlight reflects down onto the mountain peaks from particles high up in the atmosphere, creating a warm glow. The word alpenglow comes from the German Alpenglühen, which literally means "Alps-glow." The Alps are an often snow-capped mountain range in central Europe; the highly reflective snow intensifies the alpenglow.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As the sun rose, it lit up morning alpenglow on Mount Baker, Mount Rainier and the Olympics.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 6, 2022
Colorado’s natural beauty — groves of aspen shimmering in fall, snowcapped 14,000-foot peaks bathed in alpenglow — has much to lure outdoor enthusiasts, from college-age tubers to private jet owners.
From New York Times ● Sep. 1, 2022
But Jim was all smiles and, as if in added welcome, alpenglow suddenly flared to flood the summit hot pink and lit up the cabin.
From The Guardian ● Feb. 16, 2021
Between sunset and sunrise, the alpenglow spans midnight and lasts for hours.
From The New Yorker ● Nov. 9, 2015
The forest also was flooded with sun-purple, not a spire moving, and Mount Shasta was seen towering above it rejoicing in the ineffable beauty of the alpenglow.
From Steep Trails California, Utah, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, the Grand Canyon by John Muir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
