Spelling.School · How to spell

How to spell lightning

Lightning is spelled L-I-G-H-T-N-I-N-G.

What it means: A flash of light during a storm.

In a sentence: The lightning lit up the dark night sky. ▶

The part people get wrong

Watch for a silent g.

Not to be confused with: lightening, a different word.

Same family: light, flash, thunder, storm, thunderstorm. If you can spell one, the shared part carries to the others.

Where it comes from: Lightning comes from the Old English word “lihting,” related to “light,” because of the bright flash it makes in the sky. Over time, the spelling changed to the modern form “lightning,” but the silent “g” stayed behind.

Try spelling it

You will hear the word and a sentence. Type it and press Enter. Then four more words from the same level, so you know where you stand.

Words like this

sign · campaign · it's · signal · anything · gnaw · wrung · benign

Everyone has words they always get wrong. Spelling.School finds yours, shows you exactly why you miss them, and uses spaced repetition until you spell them right every time. Five minutes a day. Try five words without signing up.