iridescence

[ ir-i-des-uhns ]

/ ˌɪr ɪˈdɛs əns /

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See synonyms for iridescence on Thesaurus.com

noun

iridescent quality; a play of lustrous, changing colors.

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CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of iridescence

First recorded in 1795–1805; irid- + -escence

OTHER WORDS FROM iridescence

non·ir·i·des·cence, noun

Words nearby iridescence

irid, iridaceous, iridectome, iridectomize, iridectomy, iridescence, iridescent, iridescent seaweed, iridic, iridium, iridize

How to use iridescence in a sentence

After taking the leaf home and looking through a microscope, she was transfixed by the crinkly heads and iridescence of slime mold.
A glimpse inside a gecko’s hand won the 2022 Nikon Small World photo contest|Erin Garcia de Jesús|October 11, 2022|Science News
The prints’ iridescence can be seen as either natural or industrial, a memory of the polluted landscape where the Wrbicans grew up in western Pennsylvania.
In the galleries: Intellectually engaging, visually striking and open to interpretation|Mark Jenkins|October 8, 2021|Washington Post
Even so, the findings have implications for how iridescence could contribute to heat effects from climate change.
Sunbirds’ dazzling feathers are hot, in both senses of the word|Jake Buehler|August 17, 2021|Science News
Those structures bounce light off differently at each angle, producing iridescence.
Let’s learn about colors|Bethany Brookshire|June 11, 2020|Science News For Students

The clothes were dominated by gray, murky green, midnight blue, all with hints of iridescence.
Paris Fall Fashion Week 2012: A Finale at Yves Saint Laurent|Robin Givhan|March 7, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Something of this iridescence may cling to unmarried lovers, in spite of themselves, but wedded bliss is a sheer offence.
Questionable Shapes|William Dean Howells
Instantaneously the sun-flooded morning was born, a morning that lost its freshness, its pearly iridescence, immediately.
Cytherea|Joseph Hergesheimer
All these species are very beautiful, the rapid movement of the cilia giving them a brilliant iridescence.
The Sea-beach at Ebb-tide|Augusta Foote Arnold
In color it is reddish-brown, specked with gray, and has a brilliant whitish or opal-like iridescence.
The Sea-beach at Ebb-tide|Augusta Foote Arnold
On the contrary, its wings had grown to an amazing span and iridescence.
Pieces of Eight|Richard le Gallienne