adjective
iridescent
ir-ih-DESS-unt/ˌɪrɪˈdesnt/
Showing rainbowlike colors that shift as the light or viewing angle changes.
The soap bubble looks iridescent as it floats in sunlight.
Etymology
From Latin iris, “rainbow,” iridescent literally means “rainbow-colored”: it describes a surface whose colors seem to shift with light or viewpoint. The rainbow word’s deeper origin is uncertain.
In context
… we see iridescent green every scale on this butterfly wing is sculpted with the same microscopic precision there is no pigment anywhere it's just a trick of the light
More examples
- The beetle’s iridescent shell shifts from green to blue as it turns.
- Her iridescent scarf changes color as she moves.
- A thin layer of oil creates an iridescent sheen on the puddle.
Forms
iridescent
iridescence noun — The appearance of shifting rainbowlike colors.
Similar words
- opalescent
- Suggests a milky glow with soft, shifting colors.
- pearlescent
- Has a soft, pearl-like sheen rather than vivid rainbow colors.