Chiefly poet. [f. SUN sb. + BOW sb.1, after rainbow.] An arch of prismatic colors like a rainbow, formed by refraction of sunlight in spray or vapor.
1816. Shelley, Lett. to Peacock, 22 July. Spray … in the midst of which hung a multitude of sunbows.
1817. Byron, Manfred, II. ii. 1. The sunbow’s rays still arch The torrent with the many hues of heaven.
1831. G. P. R. James, Phil. Augustus, I. ii. The thousand colours of the sunbow that hung above its fall.
1847. Whittier, To Delaware, 13. The great lakes … Shall weave new sun-bows in their tossing spray.
