No matter your age, you can't help but be mesmerized when a rainbow occurs. From songs like over the rainbow to legends around the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, rainbows and rainbow quotes have inspired many and influenced many cultures and cultural references.
We see it as a sign of optimism, tranquility, promise, fresh starts, and a promising future. More than just a beautiful phenomenon, scientists have also studied the refraction of light and how rainbows can signify changes in the weather.
The rainbow has also become an important symbol of LGBTQ+ pride, with the original flag created by Gilbert Baker in San Francisco in 1978. Since it has come to represent the diversity and strength of the community worldwide.
To further your exploration of color and the movements the rainbow has become associated with, we created a curated list of rainbow quotes that will dazzle and inspire you and capture your imagination.
Quick links to our selection of rainbow quotes:
A rainbow is an optical illusion created when sunlight reflects off of water droplets in the atmosphere. The sunlight "bends" as it passes through the water droplets, causing different colors to become visible.
When all of the colors combine, they create the appearance of a rainbow in the shape of a curve. While rainbows are most commonly associated with rainfall, they can actually be created by any type of water, including mist, spray, or even dew. In fact, rainbows can even be seen at night if there is enough light from the moon or stars.
Regardless of how they form, the true colors of a rainbow are always a beautiful sight to behold. To emphasize its wonderment, here are some of the best rainbow quotes:
"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."
"A rainbow is the product of physics working for your appreciation of beauty."
"Today's teardrops are tomorrow's rainbows."
"A heart of gold is where the rainbow begins."
"Look at the world through rainbow colored glasses."
The colored rays of a rainbow always appear in the same order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. This order is due to the different wavelengths of light that make up the visible light spectrum.
Related: Why is the sky yellow?
Red light has the longest wavelength, while violet light has the shortest wavelength. As a result, violet light is refracted more than red light, causing it to appear at the bottom of a rainbow. The other colors follow in order from longest to shortest wavelength.
This natural order makes rainbows appear in beautiful and vibrant hues and has led many to describe them as nature's greatest optical phenomenon. Reflect on brilliant rainbow colors with the next batch of rainbow quotes to inspire appreciation of their colorful ways.
"I kind of view everybody like a rainbow. Everybody on the planet has all the colors of the rainbow inside."
"I was afraid that I'd forgotten all the colors of the rainbow, but I know just where I can find them again."
"My two favorite colors of the rainbow are gold and leprechaun."
"Life without dreams is like a rainbow without colours."
"The greater your storm, the brighter your rainbow."
"When there is love in the heart, there are rainbows in the eyes, which cover every black cloud with gorgeous hues."
"I'd rather see the world as a rainbow than endless shade of gray."
Sunset is still my favorite color, and rainbow is second.
~ Mattie Stepanek
There's no denying that rainbows are one of nature's most beautiful sights. But why are they so beautiful? Part of the answer lies in their colors. The combination of the colors pleases the eye and creates a sense of harmony.
But there's more to it than just the colors. The shape of a rainbow is also pleasing to the eye. The circular shape is infinitely soothing, and the symmetry is pleasing to our sense of order.
Rainbows are ever-changing and always in flux. They appear suddenly and then vanish just as quickly. This sense of transience makes them all the more precious and helps us appreciate the beauty of the world around us.
From a classic fairytale to the creator of the pride rainbow flag, take a moment to appreciate all that goes into making the rainbow such a beautiful sight at the end of a cloudy day with these inspiring rainbow quotes.
"Make a wish upon the pastel rainbow that greets you in the early morning drizzle."
"When you look at the world, the world isn't just one palette. It's a beautiful rainbow, and why not have someone to represent that rainbow?"
"Oftentimes, the brightest rainbows follow the darkest rainstorms."
"There's always been a rainbow hanging over your head."
"Shine your soul with the same egoless humility as the rainbow and no matter where you go in this world or the next, love will find you, attend you, and bless you."
"The rainbow is a part of nature, and you have to be in the right place to see it. It's beautiful, all of the colors, even the colors you can't see. That really fit us as a people because we are all of the colors. Our sexuality is all of the colors. We are all the genders, races, and ages."
"I'm continually inspired by nature, and the rainbow is one of nature's greatest optical phenomenons. The sighting of a rainbow never fails to bring a smile to people's faces. They signify optimism and positivity: with them comes the sunshine after the rain."
"It takes both the sun and the rain to make a beautiful rainbow."
"Bubbles have more colors than a rainbow."
"Rainbows apologize for angry skies."
"Happiness doesn't always come in pink. Learn to appreciate the rainbow."
When I set a glass prism on a windowsill and allow the sun to flood through it, a spectrum of colors dances on the floor. What we call "white" is a rainbow of colored rays packed into a small space. The prism sets them free. Love is the white light of emotion.
~ Diane Ackerman
Virga is a meteorological phenomenon that refers to rain or other precipitation that evaporates before it reaches the ground. This can happen when the air is very dry, or the temperature is too warm for the precipitation to fall as snow or ice. Virga often appears as streaks of rain falling from clouds, which we can sometimes see in association with rainbows.
When virga falls from high clouds, the sun may shine through the moisture and produce a bright, colorful spectrum. However, virga typically disappears before it reaches the ground, making it a fleeting and ephemeral sight.
Nevertheless, virga is a fascinating meteorological phenomenon that can add beauty to an ordinary day and a great metaphor that we can take inspiration from in finding good things in life in a sometimes dark world. May these rainbow quotes and sayings remind you of the wonderful things you have in life, despite the storms of life, even in your "virga moments."
"And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow."
"Walk on a rainbow trail; walk on a trail of song, and all about you will be beauty. There is a way out of every dark mist, over a rainbow trail."
"We are all part of the same rainbow. We are all reflections of each other. As unique and diverse as we are in character and skills, the source of all creation is as multidimensional as we are."
"We live in a rainbow of chaos."
"It was the rainbow gave thee birth, and left thee all her lovely hues."
"I kind of view everybody like a rainbow. Everybody on the planet has all the colors of the rainbow inside."
"Let no one who loves be unhappy, even love unreturned has its rainbow."
"I know that if odour were visible, as colour is, I'd see the summer garden in rainbow clouds."
"There is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow."
"Somewhere, over the rainbow, Way up tall, There's a land where they've never heard of cholesterol."
"What a privilege to be here on the planet to contribute your unique donation to humankind. Each face in the rainbow of colors that populate our world is precious and special."
"Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud."
If you want to enjoy the rainbow, be prepared to endure the storm.
~ Warren Wendel Wiersbe
There comes a point in your life when you realize your hardest times are your best times, too - you will see the rainbow of your life.
~ Roy Bennett
Be thou the rainbow in the storms of life. The evening beam that smiles the clouds away, and tints tomorrow with prophetic ray.
~ Lord Byron
It's when a rainbow smiles that sadness is banished from the land.
~ Anthony T. Hincks
When it rains look for rainbows, when it’s dark look for stars.
~ Oscar Wilde
For centuries, the rainbow has been a source of inspiration for artists across cultures. In Asia, the rainbow is often seen as a bridge between the world of the living and the world of the dead.
In Native American folklore, rainbows represent the path spirits take to reach the afterlife. For Christians, the rainbow is a symbol of hope and redemption. And in Ireland, the rainbow is said to be the gateway to leprechauns' pots of gold.
Regardless of its cultural significance, the rainbow's ethereal beauty has long captivated the human imagination. From paintings and photographs to sculptures and stained glass windows, artworks depicting rainbows, like “The Rainbow” by George Inness, can be found in museums and galleries around the world. The next time you see a rainbow, take a moment to appreciate its enduring power to inspire with these rainbow quotes.
"Martin Freeman is a genius, he really is. He gives you every color of the rainbow in every take and it's wonderful just to play off of him and opposite him."
"We are a part of this unique, complex, and complicated fabric of what it means to be an American. Americans come in all colors, creeds, and colors of the rainbow, and we can celebrate this together."
"When I see a rainbow, I know that someone, somewhere loves me."
"Facing our problems, first, and living by the seat of the pants, and opening ourselves to the world can turn life into a captivating journey on a sparkling rainbow."
"Rainbows reminds us that even after the darkest clouds and the fiercest winds there is still beauty."
Don’t seek to be happy; let everyone else chase after that rainbow. Seek to be kind, and you’ll find the rainbow follows you.
~ Richelle E. Goodrich
Rainbows introduce us to reflections of different beautiful possibilities so we never forget that pain and grief are not the final options in life.
~ Aberjhani
Love from novels isn’t true love: it ends where it should begin. True love, deep love, grows up with time, throughout days of dullness and days of storms. It leaves in one’s heart a rainbow of tenderness and forgiveness which illuminates forever the beloved one.
~ Gabrielle DuBois
You will hold me with your wondering eyes in the serenity of a purest mind at the dream's edge of my quiet golden shores accompanied by the melodies of emerald blue rippling waves where I will always remain voicing harmony in the over the rainbow soothing memories of your heart.
~ Oksana Rus
Don’t miss all the beautiful colors of the rainbow looking for that pot of gold.
~ Anonymous
In Greek mythology, rainbows were seen as a sign of hope. They were believed to be created when the goddess Iris brought messages from the gods to mortals. The colors of the rainbow represented different emotions, and the rainbow itself was seen as a bridge between the gods and humankind.
Native American cultures associate rainbows with fertility and new life. They are seen as a sign of hope and renewal after times of hardship.
For many people, rainbows are simply a beautiful natural phenomenon. As the rain clouds pass away and give way to clearer skies, rainbows can symbolize the hardest times giving way to the best times.
"Hope is a rainbow of thought" ~ Harley King
But regardless of how they are viewed, rainbows always evoke a sense of awe and amazement. Allow the rainbow quotes on this list to empower you.
"Let your happiness be known to the world like a stunning rainbow."
"Life throws challenges and every challenge comes with rainbows and lights to conquer it."
"Why would I spend my life chasing rainbows when I can be still and see them in their full beauty."
"Every vision has its own rainbow; the day you realise your vision you'll see your rainbow."
"Don't turn around. Don't look back. Keep moving forward. Keep pushing. The pot of gold is at the end of the rainbow, not the beginning."
"I adore the sky wearing rainbow shawl of love for the birds so that they could fly free in warmth after the storm."
"God puts rainbows in the clouds so that each of us – in the dreariest and most dreaded moments – can see a possibility of hope."
"It’s a good thing that when God created the rainbow he didn’t consult a decorator or he would still be picking colors."
"None appreciates rainbow and sunshine better than he on whose parade it has rained."
"You're nobody's rainbow. You're nobody's princess. You're nobody's doorway but your own, and the only one who gets to tell you how your story ends is you."
"Life is like a rainbow. You need both the rain and the sun for the colors to appear."
When thunderstorms roll in, you make a choice to either succumb with tears to the gloomy downpour, or smile and look for rainbows.
~ Richelle E. Goodrich
A rainbow is a promise of sunshine after rain. Of calm after storms. Of joy after sadness. Of peace after pain. Of love after loss.
~ Unknown
All these seven colors are part of one rainbow, yet they are all different. They have their own quality, their own identity, their own flavor to it. So it is a rainbow. The Divine loves diversity, that is why he made us all different.
~ Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
In life, you either choose to sing a rainbow, or you don’t. Keep singing.
~ Kathleen Long
When beauty is seen through the windows of the soul - rainbows appear and everything is magical. It feels simply divine.
~ Angie Karan
Rainbows are made of small raindrops. Happy lives are made from acts of kindness.
~ Amit Ray
All the best things in life are free: love, smiles, friends, family, pets & companions, thoughts, sunsets & sunrises and especially rainbows.
~ Anthony T. Hincks
Life can be a storm, but your hope is a rainbow and your friends and family are the gold.
~ Steve Maraboli
Magic exists. Who can doubt it, when there are rainbows and wildflowers, the music of the wind and the silence of the stars
~ Nora Roberts
In the Western world, we sometimes associate rainbows with romantic love; they may be seen as a sign of good fortune in a relationship or as a reminder that love conquers all. In other cultures, rainbows may be seen as a sign of hope after a disaster or as a bridge between the physical and spiritual worlds.
As you learn about the association of the rainbow with love, be inspired as you read through these final admiring rainbow quotes. And who knows, you might find true love at the end of a rainbow.
"I'll paint rainbows all over your blues."
"Love can form a double rainbow, connecting two hearts."
"You are the rainbow that adds color to my gray skies."
"He stared at her the way folks stare at a rainbow, taking in all that unexpected beauty, not wanting to look away in case it might disappear."
"Love was a feeling completely bound up with color, like thousands of rainbows superimposed one on top of the other."
"We are rainbows, me and you. Every color, every hue."
Rainbows: The gift from heaven to us all.
~ Anthony T. Hincks
You’ll never find a rainbow if you’re looking down.
~ Charlie Chaplin
Count your rainbows, not your thunderstorms.
~ Alyssa Knight
Know that rainbows and butterflies are God’s gift to your joy.
~ Jonathan Lockwood Huie
At the end of the dream, on the other side of the rainbow, there’s only light.
~ Frederick Lenz
Storm? Shine your light and make a rainbow!
~ Richie Norton
The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears.
~ John Vance Cheney
Every sacrifice is another colour of your Rainbow!
~ Cass van Krah
Wherever you go, so will I cause a double rainbow is hard to find.
~ Katy Perry
Where does the rainbow end, in your soul or on the horizon?
~ Pablo Neruda
Be proud of the incredible person that you are, and become a rainbow in someone’s cloudy day.
~ Nyki Mack
Why chase rainbows when you've already caught one?.
~ Anthony T. Hincks
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