arcoíris
/aɾkoˈiɾis/masculine
The English word rainbow is arcoíris in Spanish. It is also spelled arco iris. Wiktionary also lists arco del cielo and arco célico/celestial/celeste.
Meaning: multicoloured arch in the sky (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| arcoíris | /aɾkoˈiɾis/ | masculine |
| arco iris | /ˌaɾko ˈiɾis/ | masculine, alternative form |
| arco del cielo | /ˌaɾko del ˈθjelo/ /ˌaɾko del ˈsjelo/ |
masculine |
| arco célico/celestial/celeste | masculine | |
| arco de san Martín | /aɾko de san maɾtin/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
The term refers to the multicolored arch appearing in the sky.
What does it mean word for word?
The word arcoíris is a compound of arco, meaning arch and iris, referring to the Greek goddess of the rainbow or the colored part of the eye.
Which one should you use?
arcoíris is the standard orthographic form in modern Spanish. The version written as two words, arco iris, is a common alternative spelling.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
All forms provided are masculine nouns. To describe something as multicolored, you can use related adjectives such as multicolor, policromático or irisado.
How do you pronounce it?
/aɾkoˈiɾis/
Did you know?
- The Spanish arco and English 'arrow' both descend from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂erkʷo-.
- The term arco célico uses a formal adjective derived from the Latin word for 'heaven' or 'sky'.
- The word irisado is used in Spanish to describe a shimmering, rainbow-like effect on surfaces, such as oil on water.
Examples in context
- Nunca he visto un arco iris.I've never seen a rainbow.This sentence is useful for expressing that you have never seen an arco iris.Tatoeba #2931988 by marcelostockle, translation #2360078 by CK
- Alguna vez has visto un arcoíris?Have you ever seen a rainbow?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has ever seen an arcoíris.Tatoeba #12727689 by Adiel_G, translation #6545241 by Hybrid
- El arcoíris es un fenómeno natural.A rainbow is a natural phenomenon.This sentence is useful for defining arcoíris as a natural phenomenon.Tatoeba #2123646 by hayastan, translation #281038 by CM
- Después de la tormenta, un hermoso arcoíris apareció en el cielo.After the storm, a beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky.
- 22 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are standing outside after a summer rain shower.
- Javier¡Elena, mira aquel arcoíris!Elena, look at that rainbow!
- ElenaEs precioso, Javier.It is beautiful, Javier.
- Javier¿Puedes ver todos los colores?Can you see all the colors?
- ElenaSí, es muy brillante.Yes, it is very bright.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rainbow” translations and entries arcoíris, arco iris, arco del cielo, arco de san Martín, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries arco, arco del cielo, arcoíris, cielo, del, iris, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
