kaleidoscope
noun
ka·lei·do·scope
| \ kə-ˈlī-də-ˌskōp
\
\
Definition of kaleidoscope
1
: an instrument containing loose bits of colored material (such as glass or plastic) between two flat plates and two plane mirrors so placed that changes of position of the bits of material are reflected in an endless variety of patterns
2
: something resembling a kaleidoscope: such as
a
: a variegated changing pattern or scene
a kaleidoscope of colors
b
: a succession of changing phases or actions
a kaleidoscope of changing fashions
c
: a diverse collection
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Other Words from kaleidoscope
kaleidoscopic
\ kə-ˌlī-də-ˈskä-pik
\
adjective
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adjective
kaleidoscopically
\ kə-ˌlī-də-ˈskä-pi-k(ə-)lē
\
adverb
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adverb
Examples of kaleidoscope in a Sentence
The landscape was a kaleidoscope of changing colors.
Recent Examples on the Web
Start the trek to the summit—roughly 5.5 miles round trip—a few hours before dusk to watch the sky turn a kaleidoscope of purples, pinks, and yellows as the sun sinks below the horizon. — National Geographic, "Ibiza beyond the clubs: 10 can’t-miss experiences," 16 Aug. 2019 Sunlight would filter through the panels, creating a kaleidoscope of colors inside the enclosure. — Johnny Diaz, sun-sentinel.com, "Pedestrian bridge above the MacArthur Causeway is meant to be a ‘rainbow of colorful shadows’," 7 Aug. 2019 This is just one aspect of the book’s mesmerizing kaleidoscope of provocative encounters, many of which are tethered to the terror and surreal nature of a post-human world. — New York Times, "The Unseen Worlds Beneath Us: Places of Beauty, Danger and Wisdom," 7 June 2019 My Favorite Shapes, Julio Torres’s first special on HBO, filters all of that—the very concept of a stand-up act—through a marvelous theatrical kaleidoscope. — Shirley Li, The Atlantic, "The Elaborate Show-and-Tell Comedy of Julio Torres," 7 Aug. 2019 Today’s version has French radishes, rainbow carrots, red spring onions and golden beets, an edible kaleidoscope. — SFChronicle.com, "A world tour of pickles in the Bay Area and how to make them," 26 July 2019 The aliens’ weapons burst with a kaleidoscope of lethal laser fire that ricochets off the ship’s panels. — By Jonathan Vanian, Fortune, "Cloud Gaming Is Big Tech’s New Street Fight," 19 July 2019 But the richness of this novel comes in spending time with the kaleidoscope of characters who spin together in the whirlwind ending. — Carolyn Kellogg, Houston Chronicle, "Kate Atkinson’s dreamy detective returns in ‘Big Sky’," 28 June 2019 Soon afterward, roughly 540 million years ago, animal life erupted, diversifying into a kaleidoscope of forms in what’s known as the Cambrian explosion. — Quanta Magazine, "Where Animals Come From," 29 July 2014These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'kaleidoscope.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for kaleidoscope
kaleidoscope
noun
English Language Learners Definition of kaleidoscope
: a tube that has mirrors and loose pieces of colored glass or plastic inside at one end so that you see many different patterns when you turn the tube while looking in through the other end
: a changing pattern or scene
: a mixture of many different things
See the full definition for kaleidoscope in the English Language Learners Dictionary
kaleidoscope
noun
ka·lei·do·scope
| \ kə-ˈlī-də-skōp
\
\
Kids Definition of kaleidoscope
1
: a tube that contains bits of colored glass or plastic and two mirrors at one end and that shows many different patterns as it is turned
2
: a changing pattern or scene
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