rainbow

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈɹeɪnboʊ/ UK /ˈɹeɪnbəʊ/ See IPA manual

Freq #5279

Meanings

1

noun
A curved band of colours in the sky, formed when sunlight passes through rain.

After the storm, a beautiful rainbow appeared over the hills.
2

noun
A wide variety of different things.

The shop sells a whole rainbow of paint colours.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

multicoloredmultihuedpolychromatic spectrum

Word family

Forms rainbows

Derived forms brainbowdrainbowfoambowfogbowfrostbowicebowmistbowrainbow-collarrainbow-coloredrainbow-colouredrainbowedrainbowfish

From Middle English reynbowe, raynbowe, from Old English reġnboga (“rainbow”), from Proto-West Germanic *regnabogō, from Proto-Germanic *regnabugô (“rainbow”), equivalent to rain + bow (“arch”). Cognate with West Frisian reinbôge (“rainbow”), Dutch regenboog (“rainbow”), German Regenbogen (“rainbow”), Danish regnbue (“rainbow”), Swedish regnbåge (“rainbow”), Icelandic regnbogi (“rainbow”).

*bʰewgʰ- Proto-Indo-European reynbowe Middle English reġnboga Old English *regnabogō Proto-West Germanic *regnabugô Proto-Germanic

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Describing Qualities

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# rainbow

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈɹeɪnboʊ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈɹeɪnbəʊ/
**Frequency rank:** 5279

## Meanings
1. A curved band of colours in the sky, formed when sunlight passes through rain.
2. A wide variety of different things.

## Examples
- After the storm, a beautiful rainbow appeared over the hills.
- The shop sells a whole rainbow of paint colours.

## Synonyms
- multicolored
- multihued
- polychromatic
- spectrum

## Derived Forms
- brainbow
- drainbow
- foambow
- fogbow
- frostbow
- icebow
- mistbow
- rainbow-collar
- rainbow-colored
- rainbow-coloured
- rainbowed
- rainbowfish

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *bʰewgʰ-
- Root: reynbowe
- Root: reġnboga
- Root: *regnabogō
- Root: *regnabugô

## Etymology
From Middle English reynbowe, raynbowe, from Old English reġnboga (“rainbow”), from Proto-West Germanic *regnabogō, from Proto-Germanic *regnabugô (“rainbow”), equivalent to rain + bow (“arch”). Cognate with West Frisian reinbôge (“rainbow”), Dutch regenboog (“rainbow”), German Regenbogen (“rainbow”), Danish regnbue (“rainbow”), Swedish regnbåge (“rainbow”), Icelandic regnbogi (“rainbow”).

## AI Etymology
Rainbow comes from Middle English reynbowe, raynbowe, from Old English reġnboga (“rainbow”), from Proto-West Germanic *regnabogō, from Proto-Germanic *regnabugô (“rainbow”), equivalent to rain + bow (“arch”). Cognate with West Frisian reinbôge (“rainbow”), Dutch regenboog (“rainbow”), German Regenbogen (“rainbow”), Danish regnbue (“rainbow”), Swedish regnbåge (“rainbow”), Icelandic regnbogi (“rainbow”). Modern senses include a curved band of colours in the sky, formed when sunlight passes through rain. and a wide variety of different things.. The wider word family includes derivatives such as brainbow, drainbow, foambow, fogbow, frostbow, and icebow.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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rainbow

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