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Added 9 October 2026

opalescent

/oʊpəˈlɛsənt/ adjective

First recorded: 1814 Wiktionary

adjective Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about opalescent at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Having a play of lustrous rainbow colors.
an iridescent oil slick

Origin

From opal + -escent, after opalescence or French opalescent. First attested in 1814.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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