secondary rainbow: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal or technical
Quick answer
What does “secondary rainbow” mean?
A meteorological phenomenon consisting of a rainbow that appears outside a primary rainbow, with colors in reverse order, caused by two internal reflections of light in raindrops.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A meteorological phenomenon consisting of a rainbow that appears outside a primary rainbow, with colors in reverse order, caused by two internal reflections of light in raindrops.
Metaphorically used to describe something less prominent, a subsequent event, or a secondary effect.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning; minor pronunciation variations exist.
Connotations
Similar in both varieties, often implying something additional or less intense.
Frequency
Equally rare in everyday speech but standard in scientific and academic contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “secondary rainbow” in a Sentence
NP be ADJV NPVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “secondary rainbow” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- We glimpsed the secondary rainbow after the storm.
American English
- We spotted the secondary rainbow after the storm.
adverb
British English
- The light is reflected secondarily to form the rainbow.
American English
- The light reflects secondarily to create the rainbow.
adjective
British English
- He has a secondary role in the project.
American English
- She holds a secondary position in the organization.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used; may appear in tourism marketing describing natural attractions.
Academic
Common in physics, meteorology, and earth sciences to describe optical phenomena.
Everyday
Infrequent; used when discussing weather or rare natural events.
Technical
Standard term in optics for the rainbow resulting from double internal reflection.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “secondary rainbow”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “secondary rainbow”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “secondary rainbow”
- Confusing it with the primary rainbow, or using 'secondary rainbow' to refer to any faint rainbow without the reversed colors.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A secondary rainbow is a rainbow that appears outside the primary rainbow, with colors reversed, due to two internal reflections in raindrops.
It is fainter, has reversed color order, and is located at a larger angle from the antisolar point.
Rarely; secondary rainbows typically accompany primary rainbows, but under specific conditions, they might be visible alone.
It is a standard term in meteorology and optics but not commonly used in everyday conversation.
A meteorological phenomenon consisting of a rainbow that appears outside a primary rainbow, with colors in reverse order, caused by two internal reflections of light in raindrops.
Secondary rainbow is usually formal or technical in register.
Secondary rainbow: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsɛkəndri ˈreɪnbəʊ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsɛkəndəri ˈreɪnboʊ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Secondary comes after primary; think of it as the second, fainter rainbow with reversed colors.
Conceptual Metaphor
Often used metaphorically to represent something less important or a bonus feature.
Practice
Quiz
What causes a secondary rainbow?