1. a luminous electrical discharge that appears on ships’ masts and other pointed objects during thunderstorms
Usage: nautical; also called St. Elmo’s fire

Examples

• The sailors watched in awe as a corposant danced on the ship’s mast during the storm.
• Ancient mariners considered the appearance of corposant to be either a good or bad omen.
• The corposant glowed with an eerie blue light against the dark sky.
• Captain’s log noted the corposant phenomenon observed at the tip of the mainmast.
• The electrical storm produced several corposants on the ship’s rigging.
• Sailors have reported seeing corposant for centuries during severe weather at sea.