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iridescent

iridescent

12 7.6
Bright colors that seem to change when seen from different angles
  • adjective
  • /ˌɪrɪˈdɛsənt/
translation icon : iridiscente
  • At his feet, the dark sand is alive with tiny iridescent insects.
  • iridescent blue
  • iridescent green

Like this liquid looks like a pearly iridescent glow kind of body wash.

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Examples

  • And then I have Pearl, which is like this iridescent kind of like Pearl.

  • My party garment glows poppy red, as gold and iridescent white shine underneath.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • But this one is Sunday and it has an iridescent shine to it.

  • It's right here has like a pink gold iridescent reflect to it.

  • And this one gives you a really iridescent glow.

  • It's kind of like a golden pink iridescent type cream highlight there.

  • Most iridescent fabrics are made like this.

  • Light from the tower played on the iridescent feathers of their necks.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Others looked like lizards, with iridescent scales glinting in the light.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • The peacock displayed its beautiful feathers, showing iridescent colors that shimmered in the sunlight.

Synonyms

prismatic
vsiridescent
2 6.7

Having the shape of a prism or showing bright rainbow colours

is about surface color play rather than prism shape effects
opalescent
vsiridescent
1 8.2

Soft, shiny colors on a surface that look like a small rainbow

is brighter and more directly rainbow-like in tone
changeable
vsiridescent
1 6.0

Showing different colours when seen from different angles

is brighter and more rainbow-like in its shifting hues
pearlescent
vsiridescent
1 7.9

A shiny surface like a pearl that shows rainbow colors when you move it

is more about bright multicolored flashes than a subtle glow
nacreous
vsiridescent
1 9.7

A shiny, pearly surface that shows soft rainbow colors

is typically more vivid and strongly multicolored rather than lustrous
shot
vsiridescent
  • Specialized
1 8.6

Fabric that looks like different colors from different angles

is a general surface optical effect, not limited to fabric
irised
vsiridescent
9.4

A surface with changing bright colors like a rainbow when light hits it

is brighter and shows stronger multicolored flashes
opaline
vsiridescent
8.8

Having a milky rainbow shine that changes with light

is more vivid and strongly color-shifting than a soft sheen
pearlized
vsiridescent
  • US
6.0

Having a shiny surface that shows soft changing colors like a pearl

is generally more vividly rainbow-shifting rather than merely lustrous
chatoyant
vsiridescent
  • Specialized
9.9

Shining with a changing color or light when you look from different angles

focuses more on bright rainbow color change than simple luster shifts

How Lustrous

dazzling
39 3.9
iridescent
12 7.6
glossy
34 2.6
matte
2 3.5

Surface Forms

iridescent positive
iridescenter comparative
iridescentest superlative

Morphology

iridescent = iris (opaque) = iris + escent

Although the word historically relates to 'iris' plus the learned suffix '-escent', the modern meaning is not straightforwardly predictable for an average learner.

Etymology

Iridescent comes from the Greek root iris meaning 'rainbow' and the ending -escent which means 'becoming' or 'showing'. So something iridescent 'becomes' like a rainbow and shows changing colors as you move, like a peacock feather or a soap bubble.