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.
a similar bow of colors, especially one appearing in the spray of a waterfall or fountain.
any brightly multicolored arrangement or display.
a wide variety or range; gamut.
a visionary goal.
He pursued the rainbow of a singing career for years before becoming a success.
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
any similar display of bright colours
( as modifier )
a rainbow pattern
an illusory hope
to chase rainbows
(modifier) of or relating to a political grouping together by several minorities, esp of different races
the rainbow coalition
The colors of the rainbow are violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red.
First recorded before 1000; Middle English reinbowe, Old English regnboga, rēnboga; cognate with Old Norse regnbogi, German Regenbogen; see rain, bow 2
That colorful arc you sometimes see in the sky right after it stops raining? That's a rainbow. The scientific explanation for a rainbow's appearance is that light is refracted in water droplets, briefly revealing the full visible spectrum of light — all of the colors that make it up. While there are actually about a hundred colors in the visible spectrum, we tend to describe a rainbow as having six or seven. In Old English, there were two words for this phenomenon: scurboga, or "shower-bow," proved to be less popular than renboga, "rain bow."
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The internet boom and the rise of trendy handheld devices and gadgets that came in a rainbow array of colorways feels like eons ago now.
From Salon • May 30, 2026
One spot placed a rainbow Star of David behind Singer, calling him a "major pro-gay, pro-trans activist".
From BBC • May 18, 2026
People danced along to Diana Ross’ “I’m Coming Out” and kept cool with rainbow fans.
From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026
This process creates a spectrum, which is similar to a rainbow that reveals how light is distributed across different wavelengths.
From Science Daily • May 5, 2026
Cat thought of the rainbow of colored pencils, the drawings of ships with their detail and power, the maps of imaginary places.
From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
