rainbow

1 of 2

noun

rain·​bow ˈrān-ˌbō How to pronounce rainbow (audio)
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
rainbowlike adjective

rainbow

2 of 2

adjective

1
: having many colors
2
: of, relating to, or being people of different races (see race entry 1 sense 1a) or cultural backgrounds
a rainbow coalition

Examples of rainbow in a Sentence

Adjective the rainbow costumes worn by mummers at Mardi Gras
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Since then, the Friends have taken on improvement projects — simple things like painting fences on the island with rainbows for Pride Month or installing mile markers on trails. Justin Wm. Moyer, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Yet remove the rain, the sunlight or the angle of view, and the rainbow goes away. Ginny Whitelaw, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Using a simple color wheel and just a few shades, your cake can be topped with a rainbow of icing. Annemarie Dooling, USA TODAY, 29 Feb. 2024 The French designer, who died this week at 78, was known for his (very expensive) cashmere skull sweaters, which came in a rainbow of colors. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 28 Feb. 2024 Florida’s beach towns are known for their rainbow of hues, but cheerful colors like bright blue, green, yellow, and orange can be found in coastal towns all over the South and around the world. Zoe Gowen, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2024 Some nutrition experts also advise that people think about having a food rainbow, meaning an assortment of fruits and vegetables in a wide variety of colors and ingredients. Katia Hetter, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024 Cons The rainbow ribbon may not capture some cats’ attention as well as a prey-like lure toy. Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2024 Performing with a live band and two back-up singers, the singer emphasized the psychedelic vibe of the track with smoke and a hazy rainbow backdrop. Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2024
Adjective
The Garvin flies both a rainbow Pride flag and a Black Lives Matter flag, prompting the occasional shouted slur. Brian Owens, Scientific American, 18 Oct. 2023 While DeSantis was speaking, a protester stood up and held up a rainbow Pride flag. Tori Otten, The New Republic, 18 July 2023 The rainbow-haired rapper, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, was picked up by an ambulance and hospitalized following the violent attack. Jessica Schladebeck New York Daily News (tns), al, 22 Mar. 2023 Kenny shares a selfie on Facebook with a rainbow view above the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 14 Dec. 2022 Siwa added even more rainbow pizazz to the ensemble with her denim vest. Seventeen, 7 June 2022 For 30 days, every product from T-shirts to bagels come in a rainbow motif in a nod toward supporting (and earning money from) the LGBTQ+ community. Lizz Schumer, Good Housekeeping, 7 June 2022 The crowd looked like a mini-rainbow coalition as Black, White and brown fans lined up to cheer the players. John Blake, CNN, 31 Oct. 2021 Bright heaps of soft toys and rainbow balloons and candles. Star Tribune, 24 July 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rainbow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rainbow was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near rainbow

Cite this Entry

“Rainbow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rainbow. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

rainbow

noun
rain·​bow
ˈrān-ˌbō
: an arc or circle of colors that appears in the sky opposite the sun and is caused by the sun shining through raindrops, spray, or mist

Medical Definition

rainbow

noun
rain·​bow ˈrān-ˌbō How to pronounce rainbow (audio)
slang
: a combination of the sodium derivatives of amobarbital and secobarbital in a blue and red capsule

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