iridescent

adjective ir·i·des·cent \ ˌir-ə-ˈde-sᵊnt \

|Updated on: 13 Aug 2018

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of iridescent

: having or exhibiting iridescence

—

iridescently

adverb

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Recent Examples of iridescent from the Web

Sephora Collection MicroSmooth Baked Eyeshadow Trio Courtesy of Brands Sephora Collection MicroSmooth Baked Eyeshadow Trio in Sunray, $11 BUY IT Though not technically a palette, this trio of iridescent baked eyeshadows is basically fool-proof.

— chloe metzger, Marie Claire, "Calling All Brown-Eyed People: These 5 Eyeshadow Palettes Were Made for You," 2 Nov. 2017
The one shade of Mega Glo Loose Highlighting Powder, Written in the Stars, contains iridescent pearls that are perfect for building up a glow on both face and body.

— marci robin, Allure, "Wet n Wild Is Launching a Super-Shimmery Zodiac Makeup Collection," 12 July 2018
Add a neon effect with white eyeliner to get that iridescent glow.

— kelsey stiegman, Seventeen, "10 Insanely Cool Halloween Makeup Looks for When You Need a Last-Minute Costume," 30 June 2018
Shield bugs are also known as jewel bugs for their iridescent colors, like the cotton harlequin and the rainbow shield bug.

— National Geographic, "Meet the Bug That Armors Itself With Shells," 23 June 2018
Rapper and model Playboi Carti closed the show with an oversized metallic poncho, iridescent chain-link duffle and graphic print pants.

— kristin larson, chicagotribune.com, "Chicagoan Virgil Abloh debuts first Louis Vuitton collection with support from Kanye, Kim Kardashian," 22 June 2018
At any one time, 2,000 butterflies — iridescent, brilliantly colored, elaborately patterned, are flying through the air, alighting on the lush vegetation and occasionally on a visitor.

— New York Times, "Francine Prose on Montreal in the Spring: The Time of the Butterflies," 11 June 2018
But what lasts long after the credits roll is the movie’s quiet beauty, the iridescent sheen of an oil slick that enshrouds the narrative and the moments of near silence preceding terrifying noise.

— eliza berman, Time, "Best Movies of 2018 So Far," 4 June 2018
From the perspective of the female hummingbird, the would-be suitor would look like a small comet hurtling through the sky with sunlight glinting off his iridescent head feathers.

— deborah netburn, latimes.com, "Singing tail feathers and a high speed dive help this hummingbird find a mate," 12 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'iridescent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Iris, the Greek goddess of the rainbow, took messages from Mount Olympus to earth, and from gods to mortals or other gods, using the rainbow as her stairway. Iridescence is thus the glowing, shifting, colorful quality of a rainbow, also seen in an opal, a light oil slick, a butterfly wing, or the mother-of-pearl that lines an oyster shell.