Also 8 comazant. A corruption of CORPOSANT [Pg. corpo santo ‘holy body,’ from its resemblance to an aureole or nimbus], the electrical phenomenon known also as St. Elmo’s Fire.
1749. Waddell, in Phil. Trans., XLVI. 111. A very hard Storm of Wind, attended with Thunder and Lightning … and sundry very large Comazants (as we call them) overhead … some of which settled on the spintles at the Topmast heads, which burnt like very large Torches.
1751. Franklin, Lett., Wks. 1840, V. 224. In Captain Waddell’s account of the effects of lightning on his ship, I could not but take notice of the large comazants (as he calls them), that settled on the spintles at the top-mast heads, and burned like very large torches (before the stroke).
1753. Phil. Trans., XLVIII. 213. We have heard all our lives of St. Helmo’s fire … and of the comazants of our mariners.
1881. W. C. Russell, Ocean Free Lance, I. v. 208. There’s the first composant I have seen this cruise.
1889. Daily News, 30 Nov., 5/2. St. Elmo’s fire, a form of electrical discharge which is more familiar to sailors under the name of comozants.
