rainbow

/ˈɹeɪnboʊ/

//ˈɹeɪnboʊ// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"rainbow" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“rainbow” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,403 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#6,403
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A multicoloured arch in the sky, produced by prismatic refraction of light within droplets of rain in the air.

Key facts for rainbow
PropertyValue
Headwordrainbow
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɹeɪnboʊ/
Letters7
Frequency rank#6,403
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “rainbow” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). rainbow lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for rainbow is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɹeɪnboʊ/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,403 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for rainbow, with forms such as "arinbow", "raibnow", and "rainbbow". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English reynbowe, raynbowe, from Old English reġnboga (“rainbow”), from Proto-West Germanic *regnabogō, from Proto-Germanic *regnabugô (“rainbow”), equivalent to rain + bow (“arch”). Cognate with West Frisian reinbôge (“rainbow”), Dutch regenboo… The correct English form is rainbow, spelled R-A-I-N-B-O-W.

Definition

  1. 1
    A multicoloured arch in the sky, produced by prismatic refraction of light within droplets of rain in the air.
  2. 2
    Any prismatic refraction of light showing a spectrum of colours.
  3. 3
    A wide assortment; a varied multitude.
  4. 4
    An illusion; a mirage.
  5. 5
    A curveball, particularly a slow one.
  6. 6
    A trick in which the player makes the ball arc over the opponent's head using both feet; rainbow kick
  7. 7
    In Texas hold 'em or Omaha hold 'em, a flop that contains three different suits.
  8. 8
    Rainbow trout.
  9. 9
    A person within the LGBT community.

Etymology

From Middle English reynbowe, raynbowe, from Old English reġnboga (“rainbow”), from Proto-West Germanic *regnabogō, from Proto-Germanic *regnabugô (“rainbow”), equivalent to rain + bow (“arch”). Cognate with West Frisian reinbôge (“rainbow”), Dutch regenboog (“rainbow”), German Regenbogen (“rainbow”), Danish regnbue (“rainbow”), Swedish regnbåge (“rainbow”), Icelandic regnbogi (“rainbow”).

Synonyms

spectrum

This word in other languages

arco iris(Español)arc-en-ciel(Français)Regenbogen(Deutsch)arco-íris(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: arinbow,raibnow,rainbbow,rainboww,rainbwo,rainnbow,rainobw,ranibow,rianbow,rrainbow

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of rainbow - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

arinbow2raibnow2rainbbow1rainboww1rainbwo2rainnbow1rainobw2ranibow2
Edit distance from "rainbow"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "rainbow"?
"rainbow" is spelled R-A-I-N-B-O-W. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹeɪnboʊ/.
What does "rainbow" mean?
As a noun, "rainbow" means: A multicoloured arch in the sky, produced by prismatic refraction of light within droplets of rain in the air.
What are common misspellings of "rainbow"?
Common misspellings include "arinbow", "raibnow", "rainbbow", "rainboww", "rainbwo". The correct spelling is "rainbow".
How do you pronounce "rainbow"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "rainbow" is /ˈɹeɪnboʊ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "rainbow"?
From Middle English reynbowe, raynbowe, from Old English reġnboga (“rainbow”), from Proto-West Germanic *regnabogō, from Proto-Germanic *regnabugô (“rainbow”), equivalent to rain + bow (“arch”). Cognate with West Frisian reinbôge (“rainbow”), Dutc... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “rainbow”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is R-A-I-N-B-O-W - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɹeɪnboʊ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list