ENGLISH
REFERENCE

rainbows

n. countable
A1 Beginner US //ˈɹeɪnˌboʊz// UK //ɹˈeɪnbəʊz// rain·bows

n. colorful arches that appear in the sky when it rains and the sun is shining. They are made of seven colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

n. meteorological phenomena caused by reflection, refraction, and dispersion of light in water droplets, resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. Typically takes the form of a multicoloured circular arc.


SIMPLE

The children ran outside to see the rainbows after the storm.

CONTEXTUAL

We saw two bright rainbows stretching across the valley as the sun broke through the afternoon rain.

COMPLEX

While rainbows are often perceived as semi-circular arcs from the ground, they are actually full circles of light whose lower halves are obscured by the horizon.

Synonyms
Usage

Plural form of 'rainbow'; refers to multiple instances of the phenomenon.

Idioms3 entries

© 2026 English Reference