rainbow
Pluralrainbows
Pluralrainbows
Formsrainbows, rainbowing, rainbowed
- 1A curved band of colors in the sky, or similar colors made when light passes through raindrops, glass, or a prism.
Look, there's a rainbow over the lake!
We saw two rainbows on the drive home after the storm.
Note
- 2Having many colors, often in the same order as the colors of a rainbow.
My little sister has a rainbow umbrella.
The kids drew on the sidewalk with rainbow chalk.
UsagePut it before a thing: a rainbow umbrella.
Similarmulticolored, colorful
Oppositemonochrome, plain
- 3A rainbow trout, a kind of fish.
Grandpa caught a big rainbow in the river this morning.
We fished all day but caught only two rainbows.
Note
- 4
- 5A large group of many different kinds of things.
The new job opened up a rainbow of choices for her.
The little shop sells a rainbow of teas from many countries.
UsageSay a rainbow of things.
Similararray, assortment, variety, range, spectrum
- 6Made up of people from many races or cultures, or from groups with different ideas.
The mayor built a rainbow coalition of many different groups.
A rainbow coalition of church groups, unions, and student clubs worked together to save the park.
UsageOften rainbow coalition.
Similardiverse, multiracial, multiethnic, broad
Note
- 7
Less common meanings
- 8To give something rainbow colors, or to shine with many bright colors like a rainbow.
The sunlight through the window rainbowed the white wall.
A crystal in the window can rainbow the whole ceiling.
- 9
- 10A soccer trick where a player uses both feet to lift the ball over another player's head.
She did a rainbow and the ball flew right over the defender.
He flicked the ball over the defender's head with a perfect rainbow.
Note
- 11In poker, having cards that are all from different suits.
On a rainbow flop, no one can have a flush yet.
The board was rainbow, so she stopped worrying about flushes.
Oppositemonotone
- 12In some poker games, a flop where all three cards are different suits.
The dealer turned over a rainbow, and the players relaxed.
With a rainbow on the table, he stopped hoping for a flush and folded.
Note
- 13A gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender person.
- 14In code-breaking, having to do with rainbow tables.
- 15In a climbing gym, to use grips of any color instead of following the colored path.
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origin
From Old English reġnboga: rain + bow, in the sense of an arch.
Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts
- Rainbow derives from Old English reġnboga. en.wiktionary.org
- The Old English word corresponds to rain plus bow. en.wiktionary.org
- Bow has the curved-shape sense described as an arch. en.wiktionary.org