I. ˈrānˌbō noun
Etymology: Middle English reinbowe, from Old English rēnboga; akin to Old High German reginbogo rainbow, Old Norse regnbogi; all from a prehistoric West Germanic-North Germanic compound whose first constituent is represented by Old English regn, rēn rain and whose second constituent is represented by Old English boga bow — more at rain , bow
1.
a. : a circle or from the usual viewpoint an arc of a circle exhibiting in concentric bands the several colors of the spectrum and formed opposite the sun by the refraction and reflection of the sun's rays in drops of rain — see primary rainbow , secondary rainbow
b. : a phenomenon similar to a rainbow in formation and appearance — see fogbow , moonbow , white rainbow
2.
a. : an arrangement of the colors of the spectrum : a multicolored or glittering array
horizontal stripes in a rainbow of colors — New Yorker
silken cloak and a rainbow of medals — E.T.Gilliard
b. : a wide assortment : a broad or complete range : gamut
party was a catchall large enough to hold a rainbow of opinions — E.O.Hauser
3.
a. : illusion , will-o'-the-wisp
families chasing the rainbow of better fortune ever westward — Dixon Wecter
proof that the early owners were not following a rainbow — Allan Forbes & R.M.Eastman
b. : attainment of success or fortune
4. : any of several brilliantly colored fork-tailed Andean hummingbirds of the genus Coeligena
5. : rainbow trout
II. adjective
: having the colors of the rainbow : multicolored
shining robes, and wonderful rainbow wings — Mark Twain
rainbow effect
III. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
: to produce rainbows on : cause to be like a rainbow (as in coloring or form) : span as or like a rainbow
rainbowed mists of the mountains — Frank Yerby
under the rainbowed prisms of the great chandelier — Winston Churchill
intransitive verb
: to appear like a rainbow (as in coloring or in arrangement of colors
stripes of color rainbowing along Varadero Beach — Budd Schulberg
IV. noun
slang : a combination of the sodium derivatives of amobarbital and secobarbital in a blue and red capsule
V. adjective
: of, relating to, or being people of different races or cultural backgrounds
offered a rainbow ticket in the local election