opalescent

adjective

opal·​es·​cent ˌō-pə-ˈle-sᵊnt How to pronounce opalescent (audio)
Synonyms of opalescentnext
: reflecting an iridescent light
opalescence noun
opalescently adverb

Examples of opalescent in a Sentence

once given away as a cheap prize at carnivals, this opalescent glass is now highly prized by collectors
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
To complement her black and white Chanel gown, nail artist Sarah Chue created an opalescent look using Aprés. Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 16 Mar. 2026 Orlando sees their house from a distance below them, small as an opalescent shell. Literary Hub, 5 Mar. 2026 The pensive sophistication and opalescent style with which the film unparcels its ideas might not please arthouse crowds wanting broader emotional gestures, but Dulude-De Celles may be a festival-circuit major in the making. Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Feb. 2026 As the world outside begins to resemble the full-moon mating frenzy of the opalescent squid, crack open Sylvia Townsend Warner’s 1948 novel about nuns eking out an existence in a 14th-century convent and one night of celibacy might not seem so bad. Air Mail, 14 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for opalescent

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1813, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of opalescent was circa 1813

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Opalescent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opalescent. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.

Medical Definition

opalescent

adjective
opal·​es·​cent ˌō-pə-ˈles-ᵊnt How to pronounce opalescent (audio)
: reflecting an iridescent light
saliva is a viscous opalescent fluid
opalescence noun
opalescently adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster