# rainbow

/ˈɹeɪnˌboʊ/ (US) · /ɹˈeɪnbəʊ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/rainbow
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. arch in the sky

noun · CEFR A1

a colourful arch that appears in the sky when the sun shines through rain.

For teachers: a multicoloured arc produced by the prismatic refraction and reflection of light within water droplets in the atmosphere.

- The children ran outside to see the beautiful rainbow after the storm passed.
- A double rainbow appeared over the valley, its secondary arc showing the colours in reverse order due to the double reflection of light within the raindrops.

### 2. a wide variety

noun · CEFR B2

a large and varied group of different things or people.

For teachers: a diverse assortment or varied multitude of items, ideas, or people.

- The shop sells a rainbow of different fabrics for sewing projects.
- The festival offered a rainbow of cultural experiences, ranging from traditional folk dances to modern electronic music performances.

### 3. multicoloured

adjective · CEFR A2

having many different colours, especially in the order of a rainbow.

For teachers: displaying a wide range of colours; often used to describe items that use the LGBT pride flag colours.

- She wore a bright rainbow scarf that matched her cheerful personality.
- The city was decorated with rainbow banners to celebrate the annual pride parade and support the local community.

### 4. multicultural

adjective · CEFR B2 · American English

made up of people from many different races or backgrounds.

For teachers: composed of several different races, ethnicities, or cultural factions; often used in political contexts.

- The politician spoke about his vision for a rainbow coalition of voters.
- The university prides itself on its rainbow student body, which represents over fifty different countries and hundreds of unique cultural traditions.

### 5. to make colourful

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary

to make something look bright or colourful like a rainbow.

For teachers: to pattern or brighten a surface with the colours of the spectrum.

- The setting sun began to rainbow the clouds with pink and gold.
- The oil spill on the wet pavement started to rainbow the surface, creating a shimmering but toxic film of iridescent colours.

### 6. poker hand

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical · Slang

in card games like poker, a set of cards where every card is a different suit.

For teachers: in Texas hold 'em or Omaha, a flop or hand consisting entirely of different suits, making a 'flush' impossible.

- The flop was a rainbow, so I knew nobody had a flush yet.
- With a rainbow flop of uncoordinated cards, the players were forced to rely on high pairs rather than chasing potential flushes.

## Examples

- A beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky after the storm.
- The children ran outside to see the rainbow that stretched across the valley after the afternoon shower.
- While a rainbow is often perceived as a semi-circle from the ground, an observer in an aircraft may occasionally witness a full circular phenomenon under the right atmospheric conditions.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.