“The colours of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.”
More Rainbow Vocabulary and Rainbow Facts:
- A rainbow forms when sunlight is refracted (bent), reflected, and dispersed inside water droplets, splitting the light into its different colours.
- “ROYGBIV” is a popular way to remember the order of rainbow colours: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet.
- A “double rainbow” happens when light reflects twice inside the raindrops, creating a fainter second arc with the colours reversed.
- To see a rainbow, the sun needs to be behind you and the rain in front of you.
- No two people ever see exactly the same rainbow, since it’s formed by light hitting water droplets at a slightly different angle for each viewer.
Talking About Colour:
- Vibrant (Adjective): Bright and striking in colour.
- Vivid (Adjective): Intensely bright or colourful.
- Colourful (Adjective): Full of bright colours.
- Radiant (Adjective): Sending out light; shining brightly.
- Multicoloured (Adjective): Having many different colours.
- Brilliant (Adjective): Very bright and full of light.
Rainbows have given English a lovely idiom, too. If someone is chasing rainbows, it means they’re pursuing something unrealistic or unlikely to ever happen – just like the old legend of a pot of gold waiting at the end of every rainbow!
Learn More
Look it upRainbow – National Geographic EducationNational Geographic EducationFrequently Asked Questions
Sunlight is refracted, reflected, and dispersed inside water droplets, splitting the light into its different colours.
Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet – often remembered with the mnemonic “ROYGBIV”.
Test Yourself
Quick Check
What is FunkyEnglish?
FunkyEnglish is a website that helps you improve your English. We offer quick lessons that teach idioms, slang, phrasal verbs and more. Visit our homepage to see our latest articles, or use the menu to find specific content!
