flashes of light seen near the horizon, esp on hot evenings: reflections of more distant lightning
heat lightning in American English
US
lightning seen near the horizon, esp. on hot evenings, and thought to be reflections of lightning on clouds below the horizon: its thunder is too distant to hear
Examples of 'heat lightning' in a sentence
heat lightning
Mother's voice in the kitchen was as distant as heat lightning, and as unthreatening.
Kingsolver, Barbara HOMELAND AND OTHER STORIES (1990)