Definitions for rainbow
ˈreɪnˌboʊrain·bow

Princeton's WordNet(3.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. rainbownoun

   an arc of colored light in the sky caused by refraction of the sun's rays by rain

2. rainbownoun

   an illusory hope

   "chasing rainbows"

Wiktionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. rainbownoun

   A multicoloured arch in the sky, produced by prismatic refraction of light within droplets of rain in the air.

2. rainbownoun

   Any prismatic refraction of light showing a spectrum of colours.

3. rainbownoun

   A wide assortment; a varied multitude.

   a rainbow of possibilities

4. rainbownoun

   An illusion, mirage

   Many electoral promises are rainbows, vanishing soon after poll day.

5. rainbownoun

   A curveball, particularly a slow one

6. rainbownoun

   In Texas hold 'em or Omaha hold 'em, a flop that contains three different suits

7. rainbowverb

   To pattern with many colours, like a rainbow.

8. rainbowadjective

   Multicoloured.

9. rainbowadjective

   Made up of several races or ethnicities, or (more broadly) of several cultural or ideological factions.

10. rainbowadjective

    LGBT.

11. rainbowadjective

    Composed entirely of different suits.

12. Etymology: From regnboga, formed as regn + boga. Cognate with Old High German reginbogo, Icelandic regnbogi and Old Norse regnbogi.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Rainbownoun

   The iris; the semicircle of various colours which appears in showery weather.

   Etymology: rain and bow.

   Casting of the water in a most cunning manner, makes a perfect rainbow, not more pleasant to the eye than to the mind, so sensibly to see the proof of the heavenly iris. Philip Sidney.

   To add another hue unto the rainbow. William Shakespeare.

   The rainbow is drawn like a nymph with large wings dispread in the form of a semicircle, the feathers of sundry colours. Henry Peacham.

   They could not be ignorant of the promise of God never to drown the world, and the rainbow before their eyes to put them in mind of it. Thomas Browne, Vulgar Errours.

   This rainbow never appears but where it rains in the sunshine, and may be made artificially by spouting up water, which may break aloft, and scatter into drops, and fall down like rain; for the sun, shining upon these drops, certainly causes the bow to appear to a spectator standing in a true position to the rain and sun: this bow is made by refraction of the sun’s light in drops of falling rain. Isaac Newton, Opticks.

   The dome’s high arch reflects the mingled blaze,
   And forms a rainbow of alternate rays. Alexander Pope.

Wikipedia(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Rainbow

   A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicoloured circular arc. Rainbows caused by sunlight always appear in the section of sky directly opposite the sun. Rainbows can be full circles. However, the observer normally sees only an arc formed by illuminated droplets above the ground, and centered on a line from the sun to the observer's eye. In a primary rainbow, the arc shows red on the outer part and violet on the inner side. This rainbow is caused by light being refracted when entering a droplet of water, then reflected inside on the back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it. In a double rainbow, a second arc is seen outside the primary arc, and has the order of its colours reversed, with red on the inner side of the arc. This is caused by the light being reflected twice on the inside of the droplet before leaving it.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Rainbownoun

   a bow or arch exhibiting, in concentric bands, the several colors of the spectrum, and formed in the part of the hemisphere opposite to the sun by the refraction and reflection of the sun's rays in drops of falling rain

2. Etymology: [AS. regenboga, akin to G. regenbogen. See Rain, and Bow anything bent.]

Freebase(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Rainbow

   A rainbow is an optical and meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection of light in water droplets in the Earth's atmosphere, resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicoloured arc. Rainbows caused by sunlight always appear in the section of sky directly opposite the sun. In a "primary rainbow", the arc shows red on the outer part and violet on the inner side. This rainbow is caused by light being refracted while entering a droplet of water, then reflected inside on the back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it. In a double rainbow, a second arc is seen outside the primary arc, and has the order of its colours reversed, red facing toward the other one, in both rainbows. This second rainbow is caused by light reflecting twice inside water droplets.

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. rainbow

   "A rainbow towards night, Fair weather in sight. Rainbow at night, Sailor's delight; Rainbow in morning, Sailors, take warning."

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. rainbow

   The rainbow symbol -- In this Symbols.com article you will learn about the meaning of the rainbow symbol and its characteristic.

2. rainbow

   Song lyrics by rainbow -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by rainbow on the Lyrics.com website.

Matched Categories

1. • Bow
   • Promise
   • Sky

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'rainbow' in Nouns Frequency: #2953

How to pronounce rainbow?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say rainbow in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of rainbow in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of rainbow in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of rainbow in a Sentence

1. Michael Stutman:

   I do n’t think that such a decision would ever stand constitutional challenge, michael Stutman could easily find a conservative court saying that a person who flies a rainbow pride flag on their front door is an unfit parent because that judge does not believe in sexual choices, say, that are beyond that of just males and females.

2. Dolly Parton:

   The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up the rain.

3. Cleve Jones:

   I'm still in shock; he was just the most amazing person. Funny and smart and fierce ... One of the most compassionate people, the rainbow flag is more than just a symbol. It is the embodiment of the LGBT community, and it has become a source of solace, comfort and pride for all those who look upon it.

4. James Barrie:

   Let no one who loves be called unhappy. Even love unreturned has its rainbow.

5. Dan Stevens:

   Like all great Disney films and all great movie musicals, it's in glorious technicolor and it really embraces all colors of the rainbow, beauty and the Beast.

Popularity rank by frequency of use