sheet lightning

noun

1. lightning appearing merely as a general illumination over a broad area, usually because the path of the flash is obscured by clouds.

sheet lightning

noun

1. lightning that appears as a broad sheet, caused by the reflection of more distant lightning

sheet lightning

1. A broad, sheetlike illumination of a portion of a thundercloud, caused by an unseen, often internal or reflected lightning flash.

2. See also heat lightning See more at lightning

Word History and Origins

Origin of sheet lightning¹

First recorded in 1820–30

Example Sentences

She’d harvested wheat in Montana, watching the entire sky flash with sheet lightning.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Last month, I was anchored with Cat in Sardinia when monstrous winds rushed in with thunder and sheet lightning illuminating the full filmic horror of it.

Read more on The Guardian

"I've never seen a storm with such frequent lightning in my life I don't think. Mostly sheet lightning and not too loud but flashes are spectacular."

Read more on BBC

‘Twelve hundred metres,’ I said, ‘and it is sheet lightning, which means—’ ‘Shut up, Ted,’ Kat said.

Read more on Literature

He's as dangerous as sheet lightning.

Read more on Seattle Times