Iridescence

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Iridescence \Ir`i*des"cence\, n. [See {Iridescent}.]
     Exhibition of colors like those of the rainbow, especially a
     surface reflection which changes color with the angle at
     which the object is viewed; the quality or state of being
     iridescent; a prismatic play of color; as, the iridescence of
     mother-of-pearl. It is due to interference of light waves


     reflected from the front and back surfaces of a thin layer
     transpatrent or semitransparent film.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  iridescence
       n : the visual property of something having a milky brightness
           [syn: {opalescence}]