Abrupt electric discharge from cloud to cloud or from cloud to earth accompanied by the emission of light.

Roget 274: velocity, speed, celerity; swiftness etc. adj.; rapidity, eagle speed; expedition etc. (activity) 682; pernicity^†; acceleration; haste etc. 684.    spurt, rush, dash, race, steeple chase; smart rate, lively rate, swift rate etc. adj.; rattling rate, spanking rate, strapping rate, smart pace, lively pace, swift pace, rattling pace, spanking pace, strapping pace; round pace; flying, flight.    lightning, greased lightning, light, electricity, wind; cannon ball, rocket, arrow, dart, hydrargyrum [Lat.], quicksilver; telegraph, express train; torrent.    eagle, antelope, courser, race horse, gazelle, greyhound, hare, doe, squirrel, camel bird, chickaree^†, chipmunk, hackee [U.S.], ostrich, scorcher [Slang].    Mercury, Ariel^†, Camilla^†, Harlequin.    [Measurement of velocity] log, log line; speedometer, odometer, tachometer, strobe, radar speed detector, radar trap, air speed gauge, wind sock, wind speed meter; pedometer.    ... show more

Roget 420: light, ray, beam, stream, gleam, streak, pencil; sunbeam, moonbeam; aurora.    day; sunshine; light of day, light of heaven; moonlight, starlight, sunlight etc. (luminary) 432; daylight, broad daylight, noontide light; noontide, noonday, noonday sun.    glow etc. v.; glimmering etc. v.; glint; play of light, flood of light; phosphorescence, lambent flame.    flush, halo, glory, nimbus, aureola.    spark, scintilla; facula; sparkling etc. v.; emication^†, scintillation, flash, blaze, coruscation, fulguration^†; flame etc. (fire) 382; lightning, levin^†, ignis fatuus [Lat.], etc. (luminary) 423.    luster, sheen, shimmer, reflexion [Brit.], reflection; gloss, tinsel, spangle, brightness, brilliancy, splendor; effulgence, refulgence; fulgor^†, fulgidity^†; dazzlement^†, resplendence, transplendency^†; luminousness etc. adj.; luminosity; lucidity; renitency^†, nitency^†; radiance, radiation; irradiation, illumination.    actinic rays, actinism; Roentgen-ray, Xray; photography, heliography; photometer etc. 445.    [Science of light] optics; photology^†, photometry; dioptrics^†, catoptrics^†.    [Distribution of light] chiaroscuro, clairobscur^†, clear obscure, breadth, light and shade, black and white, tonality.    reflection, refraction, dispersion; refractivity.    ... show more

Roget 423: luminary; light etc. 420; flame etc. (fire) 382.    spark, scintilla; phosphorescence, fluorescence.    sun, orb of day, Phoebus, Apollo^†, Aurora; star, orb; meteor, falling star, shooting star; blazing star, dog star, Sirius; canicula, Aldebaran^†; constellation, galaxy; zodiacal light; anthelion^†; day star, morning star; Lucifer; mock sun, parhelion; phosphor, phosphorus; sun dog^†; Venus.    aurora, polar lights; northern lights, aurora borealis; southern lights, aurora australis.    lightning; chain lightning, fork lightning, sheet lightning, summer lightning; ball lightning, kugelblitz [G.]; [chemical substances giving off light without burning] phosphorus, yellow phosphorus; scintillator, phosphor; firefly luminescence.    ignis fatuus [Lat.]; Jack o'lantern, Friar's lantern; will-o'-the-wisp, firedrake^†, Fata Morgana [Lat.]; Saint Elmo's fire.    [luminous insects] glowworm, firefly, June bug, lightning bug.    [luminous fish] anglerfish.    [Artificial light] gas; gas light, lime light, lantern, lanthorn^†; dark lantern, bull's-eye; candle, bougie [Fr.], taper, rushlight; oil etc. (grease) 356; wick, burner; Argand^†, moderator, duplex; torch, flambeau, link, brand; gaselier^†, chandelier, electrolier^†, candelabrum, candelabra, girandole^†, sconce, luster, candlestick.    [non-combustion based light sources] lamp, light; incandescent lamp, tungsten bulb, light bulb; flashlight, torch [Brit.]; arc light; laser; [microwave radiation]; maser neon bulb, neon sign; fluorescent lamp.    [parts of a light bulb] filament; socket; contacts; filler gas.    firework, fizgig^†; pyrotechnics; rocket, lighthouse etc. (signal) 550.    ... show more

Dutch: bliksem, bliksemflits, bliksemschicht, bliksemstraal, schicht
Polish: grom, piorun

The flash of light that accompanies an electric discharge in the atmosphere (or something resembling such a flash); can scintillate for a second or more.

Dutch: bliksemflits, bliksemschicht, weerlicht, bliksem
Polish: błyskawica