Word
iridescent
Phoneticsiri·des·cent
US/ˌɪɹəˈdɛsənt/
UK/ˌɪɹɪdˈɛsənt/
Definition
adj. shining with many different colors that change when you move it. You often see this on soap bubbles, oil on water, or the wings of some insects.
adj. characterised by a surface that displays a spectrum of colors changing with the angle of view. Often describes the optical effect of thin-film interference or structural coloration in nature.
Examples
“The dragonfly has iridescent wings that shimmer in the sun.”
“After the rain, the puddles on the road became iridescent as the oil and water mixed together.”
“The museum's collection includes several iridescent gemstones, whose luster is caused by the microscopic layers of minerals that refract light in different directions.”
Examples
simple
“The dragonfly has iridescent wings that shimmer in the sun.”
contextual
“After the rain, the puddles on the road became iridescent as the oil and water mixed together.”
complex
“The museum's collection includes several iridescent gemstones, whose luster is caused by the microscopic layers of minerals that refract light in different directions.”
Real-World Examples
“Sure, evolution can explain how peacocks ended up with iridescent tail feathers and why chimpanzees look so much like humans.” “Under a warming climate, the color of some of our favorite iridescent animals can be altered, and the brightness of their iridescent display can become duller," explained lead author and STRI fellow Juliette Rubin.” Etymology
Coined around 1800, from Latin iris, iridis (“rainbow”) + -escent.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/iridescent