rain·bow (r n b  )n. 1. a. An arc of spectral colors, usually identified as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, that appears in the sky opposite the sun as a result of the refractive dispersion of sunlight in drops of rain or mist. b. A similar arc or band, as one produced by a prism or by iridescence. c. A graded display of colors. 2. An illusory hope: chasing the rainbow of overnight success. 3. A diverse assortment or collection. [Middle English, from Old English r  nboga : rn, rain + boga, bow; see bow3.] |
rainbow
Noun
an arched display in the sky of the colours of the spectrum, caused by the refraction and reflection of the sun's rays through rain
| rainbow (rnb) 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. |   In a primary rainbow, light is refracted upon entering the raindrop, reflected off the back of the raindrop, then refracted as it exits. The angle between the ray of sunlight that strikes the drop and the rays of varying wavelengths that leave the drop ranges from 40° for violet to 42° for red. (Angles in this diagram are approximate.) |
Rainbow a rainbow as a symbol of a past storm.
Examples: rainbow of hope, 1876; of the storms of life, 1813.
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  rainbow - an arc of colored light in the sky caused by refraction of the sun's rays by rainsky - the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth |
| 2. | rainbow - an illusory hope; "chasing rainbows" |
Translations
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