Foambow

/ˈfoʊmbɑʊ/ noun

Definition

A rainbow or colorful arc formed in sea foam or spray, similar to a regular rainbow but created by light refracting through water droplets in foam.

Etymology

From 'foam' + 'bow' (as in rainbow), a compound word combining foam (from Old English 'fam' meaning froth) with bow (from Old English 'boga' meaning arc or curve).

Kelly Says

Foambows are real optical phenomena that surfers and coastal people see, but they're so rare in literature that most people have never heard the word—yet the thing itself is more common than rainbows in some coastal areas.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.