rainbow

[reyn-boh]

noun

1. a bow or arc of prismatic colors appearing in the heavens opposite the sun and caused by the refraction and reflection of the sun's rays in drops of rain.

2. a similar bow of colors, especially one appearing in the spray of a waterfall or fountain.

3. any brightly multicolored arrangement or display.

4. a wide variety or range; gamut.

5. a visionary goal.

   He pursued the rainbow of a singing career for years before becoming a success.

6. rainbow trout.

adjective

1. having a diverse membership; including representatives from different races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, etc.: LGBTQ Pride month celebrates all of the rainbow community.

   Archbishop Desmond Tutu famously described postapartheid South Africa as a rainbow nation.

   LGBTQ Pride month celebrates all of the rainbow community.

   Candidates are appealing to a rainbow coalition of minority voters.

Rainbow

¹

/ ˈreɪnˌbəʊ /

noun

1. a member of the Rainbow Guides, the youngest group of girls (aged 5-7 years) in The Guide Association

rainbow

²

/ ˈreɪnˌbəʊ /

noun

1. a bow-shaped display in the sky of the colours of the spectrum, caused by the refraction and reflection of the sun's rays through rain or mist

2. 1. any similar display of bright colours

   2. ( as modifier )

      a rainbow pattern

3. an illusory hope

   to chase rainbows

4. (modifier) of or relating to a political grouping together by several minorities, esp of different races

   the rainbow coalition

rainbow

1. An arc-shaped spectrum of color seen in the sky opposite the Sun, especially after rain, caused by the refraction and reflection of sunlight by droplets of water suspended in the air. Secondary rainbows that are larger and paler sometimes appear within the primary arc with the colors reversed (red being inside). These result from two reflections and refractions of a light ray inside a droplet.

rainbow

1. The colored arch in the sky that is often seen after a rain. The rainbow is formed when water droplets in the air cause the diffraction of sunlight.

The colors of the rainbow are violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red.

Other Word Forms

• rainbowy adjective
• rainbowlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rainbow¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English reinbowe, Old English regnboga, rēnboga; cognate with Old Norse regnbogi, German Regenbogen; rain, bow ²

Example Sentences

There were dull gray fish and fish that glittered with rainbow colors.

Read more on Literature

Or as Bruno put it: “I praise you for waving the rainbow flag. Keep waving it, girl!”

Read more on Salon

Pots of tattoo ink in a rainbow of bright colors.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"Last season, we did some negative stuff but everything was all sunshine and rainbows everywhere. Now it sounds like we're going to be in a relegation battle - that's how it works in the world."

Read more on BBC

There have always been fault lines within the rainbow coalition.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal