iridescent

adjective

ir·​i·​des·​cent ˌir-ə-ˈde-sᵊnt 

: having or exhibiting iridescence

iridescently adverb

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.

Synonyms

• opalescent
• colorful
• nacreous
• pearlescent

Examples of iridescent in a Sentence

an iridescent soap bubble

Recent Examples on the Web

The males also have an iridescent red throat and the females have brownish crowns and sides. —Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025

The same phenomenon can also be seen at play in the iridescent surfaces or soap bubbles and on butterfly wings. —Ian Randall, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025

Hummingbirds are miniature marvels, combining dazzling iridescent color with lightning-fast wings and gravity-defying flight. —Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 June 2025

Pink and iridescent, the collection is every bit an homage to Hilton's signature style. —Catherine Santino, People.com, 7 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Greek īrid-, îris "rainbow, iridescent halo around the moon, a flame, etc." + -escent — more at iris entry 1

First Known Use

1796, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for iridescent

• acquiescent
• adolescent
• arborescent
• coalescent
• convalescent
• deliquescent
• effervescent
• evanescent
• incandescent
• luminescent
• obsolescent
• opalescent

Kids Definition

iridescent

adjective

ir·​i·​des·​cent ˌir-ə-ˈdes-ᵊnt 

: having or showing iridescence

iridescently adverb

Medical Definition

iridescent

adjective

ir·​i·​des·​cent ˌir-ə-ˈdes-ᵊnt 

: having or exhibiting a display of colors producing rainbow effects

iridescence

-ᵊn(t)s 

noun