rainbow

¹rain·bow

noun \-ˌbō\

Definition of RAINBOW

1

: an arc or circle that exhibits in concentric bands the colors of the spectrum and that is formed opposite the sun by the refraction and reflection of the sun's rays in raindrops, spray, or mist

2

a : a multicolored array

b : a wide assortment or range <a rainbow of flavors>

3

[from the impossibility of reaching the rainbow, at whose foot a pot of gold is said to be buried] : an illusory goal or hope

4

: rainbow trout

— rain·bow·like adjective

First Known Use of RAINBOW

before 12th century

Other Climate/Meteorology Terms

monsoon, occlusion, ozone, rime, squall, zephyr

Rhymes with RAINBOW

aglow, ago, airflow, airglow, air show, alow, although, archfoe, argot, a throw, backflow, backhoe, bandeau, Baotou, barlow, bateau, below, bestow, big toe, bon mot, bravo, by-blow, cachepot, callow, caló, Carlow, cash flow, chapeau, Chi-Rho, cockcrow, Cocteau, cornrow, corn snow, crossbow, Cousteau, Darrow, Day-Glo, dayglow, death row, Defoe, de trop, deathblow, deco, down-bow, dumb show, elbow, escrow, fencerow, flambeau, floor show, flyblow, fogbow, forego, foreknow, forgo, freak show, free throw, Freneau, Fuzhou, galop, game show, genro, gigot, Glencoe, go-slow, Gounod, Guangzhou, gung ho, guyot, Hadow, Hangzhou, Hankow, Harrow, heave-ho, hedgerow, heigh-ho, hello, hollo, horse show, ice floe, ice show, inflow, in tow, Io, jabot, jambeau, Jane Doe, jim crow, Jinzhou, Joe Blow, Jiaozhou, John Doe, Juneau, Hounslow, kayo, KO, Lanzhou, lie low, light show, longbow, low blow, Luchow, macho, mahoe, maillot, mallow, manteau, Marlowe, Marot, marrow, matelot, merlot, Meursault, minnow, Miró, misknow, Moho, mojo, morceau, morrow, Moscow, mucro, mudflow, Murrow, nightglow, no-no, no-show, nouveau, oboe, outflow, outgo, outgrow, oxbow, peep show, Pernod, picot, plateau, pronto, Quanzhou, quiz show, Rameau, red snow, reflow, regrow, repo, reseau, road show, rondeau, rondo, roscoe, Roseau, rouleau, sabot, Saint-Lô, salchow, scarecrow, self-sow, serow, shadblow, Shantou, sideshow, skid row, ski tow, Soho, so-so, sound bow, sourdough, stone's throw, sunbow, Suzhou, tableau, Taizhou, talk show, tiptoe, Thoreau, tone row, tonneau, trade show, trousseau, Trudeau, uh-oh, unsew, up-bow, upthrow, van Gogh, wallow, Wenzhou, Wicklow, widow, willow, windrow, windthrow, winnow, Winslow, Wuzhou, Xuzhou, Yalow, yarrow, Zhangzhou, Zhengzhou, Zibo

²rainbow

adjective

Definition of RAINBOW

1

: having many colors

2

: of, relating to, or being people of different races or cultural backgrounds <a rainbow coalition>

Examples of RAINBOW

1. <the rainbow costumes worn by mummers at Mardi Gras>

First Known Use of RAINBOW

1652

Related to RAINBOW

Synonyms

chromatic, colored, kaleidoscopic, motley, multicolored, multihued, polychromatic, polychrome, prismatic, colorful, varicolored, varied, variegated, various

Antonyms

colorless; monochromatic, monochromic, monotone, self-colored, solid

Related Words

iridescent, opalescent; brave, bright, brilliant, gay, vibrant; flashy, garish, gaudy, loud, showy, splashy; checkered, dotted, patterned, plaid, plaided, striped; dappled (also dapple), marbled, mottled, parti-color (or parti-colored), piebald, pied, pinto; flecked, specked, speckled, spotted; banded, barred, brindled (or brindle), streaked, striated; bichrome, bicolored (or bicolor), dichromatic, trichromatic, tricolor (or tricolored), two-tone, two-toned

Near Antonyms

achromatic; bleached, decolorized, faded, washed-out; dull, faint, gray (also grey), neutral, pale, pallid, unbrilliant

rain·bow

noun \ˈrān-ˌbō\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of RAINBOW

slang : a combination of the sodium derivatives of amobarbital and secobarbital in a blue and red capsule

rainbow

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Series of concentric, coloured arcs that may be seen when light from a distant source—usually the Sun—falls on a collection of water drops such as in rain, spray, or fog. The coloured rays of the rainbow are caused by the refraction and internal reflection of light rays that enter the drop, each colour being bent through a slightly different angle. Hence, the combined colours are separated upon emerging from the drop. The most brilliant and most common rainbow is the so-called primary bow, which results from light that emerges from the drop after one internal reflection. The colours of the arc (from outside to inside) are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Occasionally a less-intense secondary bow may be observed; it has its colour sequence reversed.