iridescence etymology

Etymology:

• Greek: "iris" (rainbow) + "descere" (to descend)

Meaning:

• The exhibition of lustrous colors that change with the angle of observation, resembling those of a rainbow

Origin:

The term "iridescence" was first used in the early 19th century to describe the colorful, rainbow-like reflections seen in certain objects, such as the wings of butterflies, the shells of mollusks, and soap bubbles.

It is a type of interference of light that occurs when light waves of different wavelengths are reflected or scattered by a thin film or grating of a material. The interference of the light waves creates the rainbow effect, known as iridescence.

Iridescence is often caused by the presence of a thin layer of material, such as a thin layer of oil on water, or the thin walls of certain microscopic creatures like jellyfish and butterfly wings. When light strikes the surface of the material, it is reflected and refracted (bent) by the different layers of varying refractive index.

The resulting interference of the reflected and refracted light waves produces the iridescence, with different colors being reflected at different angles of observation.

iridescence relate terms

• iridescent

  Etymology The word iridescent comes from the Late Latin word iris meaning rainbow

• iris

  Etymology Greek íris Meaning Rainbow Messenger of the gods Goddess of the rainb

• ferrule

  Etymology Late Latin ferrūla diminutive of ferrum meaning iron Meaning A meta

• garland

  Etymology The word garland comes from the Old French word guirlande which in turn d

• iridescence

  Etymology Greek iris rainbow descere to descend Meaning The exhibition

• iridescent

  Etymology The word iridescent comes from the Late Latin word iris meaning rainbow

• iris

  Etymology Greek íris Meaning Rainbow Messenger of the gods Goddess of the rainb

• iridium

  Etymology The word iridium originates from the Greek word iris радуга whic

• vise

  Etymology Middle English vis from Old French vis from Latin vitis meaning vine

• viticulture

  Etymology The word viticulture is derived from the Latin words vitis grapevine and

• wire

  Etymology Old English wīre Proto Germanic wīrą Proto Indo European weyro to t

• withe

  Etymology Middle English with e from Old English wið with against by corresponding

• withy

  Etymology Old English wiðig Proto Germanic wiðijaz Proto Indo European wit iy eh₂

• orient

  Etymology The word orient originates from the Old French orient which itself derive

• gobbledygook

  Etymology The word gobbledygook is a portmanteau of two words Gobble To speak or e

• Sabbath

  Etymology The word Sabbath comes from the Hebrew word shabbat pronounced shab BAHT

• imminent

  Etymology The word imminent derives from the Latin word imminēre which means to ov

• finance

  Etymology of Finance The word finance originates from the Old French word finer m

• Adam

  Etymology Derived from the Hebrew word adamah אדמה meaning earth or ground

• resolve

  Etymology Latin resolvere meaning to loosen untie dissolve Meaning To separa

• blackmail

  Etymology The word blackmail is derived from the Middle English phrase blake male