Piorun

Piorun is a Polish noun meaning “lightning” or “thunderbolt” and appears in a range of cultural, historical, and technical contexts. In the Polish language the term designates the natural atmospheric discharge of electricity accompanied by a flash of light and a thunderclap. Scientific description of piorun follows the same principles as lightning elsewhere: a rapid electrostatic discharge between cloud and ground or within clouds, releasing energy in the order of several hundred megajoules and generating ionised air channels that emit intense light and sound.

In Polish folklore and mythology the piorun often symbolizes divine power or punishment. It is associated with the Slavic god Perun, the deity of thunder and war, whose name is cognate with piorun. Folk legends recount the use of thunderbolts as weapons wielded by Perun against adversaries, and the term appears in proverbs emphasizing sudden, destructive force.

Beyond its natural meaning, Piorun denotes several specific items. The Piorun coat of arms, used by several noble families in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, features a stylised lightning bolt, reflecting the motif’s symbolic association with strength. In modern military terminology, Piorun is the name of a Polish-developed infrared homing air‑to‑air missile, entered service in the 2020s, intended to replace older short‑range systems. The missile’s designation highlights speed and striking power, echoing the original meaning of the word.