: a lustrous rainbowlike play of color caused by differential refraction of light waves (as from an oil slick, soap bubble, or fish scales) that tends to change as the angle of view changes
2
: a lustrous or attractive quality or effect
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebWhen the cirrus clouds are lit with color, they can be mistaken for iridescence, according to the NWS. Caitlin O'kane, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2022 So cloud iridescence usually happens in lenticular or alto-cumulus, cirrus and cirrocumulus clouds. Caitlin O'kane, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2022 But probably the most familiar example of structural color is iridescence. Grrlscientist, Forbes, 26 June 2022 The hero brand image is a unicorn, whose mane touts different shades of brown (vanilla, caramel, and mocha) as opposed to the traditional iridescence associated with unicorns. Jasmine Browley, Essence, 15 June 2022 Kjernsmo says this idea might be confirmed by analyzing the insect family tree to see how often iridescence coincides with poison. Kate Golembiewski, Scientific American, 3 June 2022 Diffraction grating alone will reflect the entire spectrum of color, but adds iridescence when accompanied by photonic crystals, Ars Technica reports. Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Dec. 2021 The iridescence on butterfly wings does not occur from pigment molecules but by how the butterfly wing is structured. Elizabeth Gamillo, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Dec. 2021 The architects tackled this through the use of recurring elements and materials, including solid sandstone exteriors and striking interiors with a mother-of-pearl iridescence -- a nod to Qatar's long history as a major pearl-diving and trading hub. Dimitris Sideridis, CNN, 3 Nov. 2021 See More