Lightening vs. Lightning
Lexical Vexations
lightening v. inflected form of the verb to lighten, as of weight, illumination, or colour.
lightning n. the discharge of electricity in the atmosphere.
Words in the Wild: The horizon had been lightening by degrees for the past half hour when the storm blew through and lightning flashed, illuminating the city.
The contributor of this photo of lightning striking the CN Tower is Sam Javanrouh. The photo is copyrighted but also licenced for further reuse.
Still vexed? You can find a complete list of the Word Blog’s lexical vexations here.
