kaleidoscope

noun

ka·​lei·​do·​scope kə-ˈlī-də-ˌskōp 

1

: an instrument containing loose bits of colored material (such as glass or plastic) between two flat plates and two plane mirrors so placed that changes of position of the bits of material are reflected in an endless variety of patterns

2

: something resembling a kaleidoscope: such as

a

: a variegated changing pattern or scene

a kaleidoscope of colors

b

: a succession of changing phases or actions

a kaleidoscope of changing fashions

c

: a diverse collection

kaleidoscopic

kə-ˌlī-də-ˈskä-pik 

adjective

kaleidoscopically

kə-ˌlī-də-ˈskä-pi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of kaleidoscope in a Sentence

The landscape was a kaleidoscope of changing colors.

Recent Examples on the Web

Elsewhere at the annual awards ceremony, Rihanna played with hues on the opposite end of the color wheel, melting a kaleidoscope of gray and charcoal over her lids and up into her brow bone. —Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 2 Dec. 2025

Browsing through the color swatches of Joybird is like looking through a kaleidoscope. —Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 1 Dec. 2025

This is just a small fraction of the complex kaleidoscope called Lebanon where Leo will land on the second leg of his first overseas trip as pope. —Ben Wedeman, CNN Money, 30 Nov. 2025

And parents can reinforce the color names their toddlers learned in the first song with more content that teaches kids all about the rainbow, through mediums like JELL-O, cars, and a kaleidoscope. —Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 21 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Greek kalos beautiful + eidos form + English -scope — more at idyll

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for kaleidoscope

• electroscope
• heliotrope
• laryngoscope
• ophthalmoscope
• oscilloscope
• polariscope
• stereoscope
• antelope
• bronchoscope
• cantaloupe
• cystoscope
• endoscope

Kids Definition

kaleidoscope

noun

ka·​lei·​do·​scope kə-ˈlīd-ə-ˌskōp 

1

: a tube containing loose bits of colored glass or plastic and two mirrors at one end that shows many different patterns as it is turned

2

: a changing pattern or scene

3

: a diverse collection

a kaleidoscope of subjects

kaleidoscopic

-ˌlīd-ə-ˈskäp-ik 

adjective

kaleidoscopically

-ˈskäp-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Etymology

from Greek kalos "beautiful" and Greek eidos "form, shape" and English -scope