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Home » Color Symbolism » The 7 Colors of the Rainbow and Their Meanings Explained in Detail

The 7 Colors of the Rainbow and Their Meanings

Explained in Detail

The rainbow is one of the most beautiful, naturally occurring phenomenons

in nature. Scientifically speaking, rainbows appear in the sky when sunlight
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enters raindrops, causing dispersion and refraction of the light. But

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rainbows symbolize so much more than just a scientific anomaly.
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Rainbows hold deep meaning and significance to the individuals who

discover them. People who have suffered a great personal loss, for
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rainbow, especially on an important day or at the time when they need to

know they haven’t been forgotten.

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And so, because the rainbow is an important symbol, it follows that each of
the colors represented in the rainbow also holds important meaning and
significance.

Because of the rainbow’s importance across multiple religions and cultural

beliefs, the rainbow is packed with symbolism.

Let’s take a look at each of the colors and what they mean.

What Are the Colors of the Rainbow?

When listed, the colors of the rainbow appear in this order:

1. Red
2. Orange
3. Yellow

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4. Green
5. Blue
6. Indigo
7. Violet

Sometimes scientists simply refer to this list as ROYGBIV

(pronounced Roy G. Biv). Every rainbow you discover in the sky will have
each of these colors represented in this order.

But here’s a fun fact: While we only list seven colors in the rainbow, the
rainbow is actually made up of over 1 million colors, most of which the
human eye cannot see or comprehend. So the rainbow is as mysterious as
it is profound.

The Colors of the Rainbow and Their

Meanings
Here’s a walkthrough of the seven colors of the rainbow and what each one
represents.

1. Red

Red is listed first because it is the first color in the rainbow’s arc. It also has
the longest wavelength of any of the colors represented. It is a color
packed with vibrancy and strong emotion.

For Christians, red symbolizes energy and wisdom. For Buddhists and
Hindus, red corresponds with the Muladhara chakra, which is grounding.

But even without religious significance, red is a powerful color with

strong emotion. It is a heavily pigmented color which naturally links it to
strong feelings and emotions. Red is never used to illustrate weakness or
subtlety. Instead, it is used in nearly every country and culture to designate
danger or to issue a warning.

Red always captures our attention and tells us something important is

happening.

Throughout famous literature, red is used to represent passion, hostility,

and war. When it comes to roses, for example, red represents the strongest
form of love. It is also the color used to represent evil and the devil.

In Japan and China, red is the most revered color of the rainbow, which is
why brides in China have traditionally worn red.

The red of the rainbow represents the following:

enthusiasm

passion
security
vitality

2. Orange

The second color of the rainbow, orange is a warm, vibrant color. It is

typically a happy color that makes people feel friendly and comfortable.

A mix of the colors on either side of it (red and yellow), orange feeds off of
both. For instance, the happiness of yellow and the vitality of red combine
to make the color orange. According to the chakra system, orange in this
context represents the energy often associated with creativity, sexuality,
and fertility.

In addition to the chakra system, orange represents creativity and the

ability to relax and enjoy life.

But it’s important to understand that not all oranges are created equal.

Burnt orange represents tension and aggression.

Dark orange represents ambition.

Golden orange represents self-control.

Peachy orange represents good manners.

Typically speaking, the lighter shades of orange are most associated with
positive feelings and emotions.

The orange of the rainbow represents the following:

endurance
perseverance
strength

3. Yellow

Yellow is the happiest color in the rainbow.

This color of sunshine represents energy and warmth. It is often associated

with happiness, clear thinking, and communication. Often, yellow is linked
with inspiration. If you’re looking to start a new creative project or
endeavor, put something yellow where you can easily see and appreciate
it.

Yellow occurs naturally throughout our world in the form of egg yolks,
sunflowers, lemons, and bees. It is often used to illustrate a happy face.

The most luminous color in the rainbow, yellow is known to capture our
attention more easily than any other color. (Perhaps this is why the most
common highlighter color is yellow!)

Bottom line: It’s hard to miss something that is yellow.

Note: Use yellow sparingly. Too much yellow can actually send the
opposite message. Too much yellow causes people to feel judgmental and
critical.

The yellow of the rainbow represents the following:

awareness
cheerfulness
energy
orderliness

4. Green

Located in the middle of the rainbow, green is the color of life. Here in the
West, it is also a color symbolizing wealth, which is why our money is
green.

It is a refreshing color that symbolizes growth and renewal.

But green is also a bit of a dichotomy. On one hand, green represents life
and growth; on the other hand, it represents envy. (Ever heard the
phrase green with envy?) Maybe there’s a finer line between wealth and
envy than we realize.

Because so much of our plant life is green, this color is often linked to
nature and living naturally. Recycling and using natural products is
sometimes referred to as “green living.” When people decide to start
replacing synthetic products with more natural products, it is said they
are going green.

Interestingly, the human eye is capable of distinguishing more variations of

the color green than any color in the rainbow.

The green of the rainbow represents the following:

growth
health
nature
wealth

5. Blue

The color of the sky and the ocean, blue represents peace, relaxation, and
stability. This is no surprise. When people want to relax, they often seek out
water. Even just changing out the wallpaper on a computer background to
an ocean scene can be beneficial in this regard.

Because blue is the color of the heavens, it is often associated with

divinity and is used to illustrate trust and loyalty.

It is a stabilizing color, but it’s also sometimes used to illustrate melancholy

(thus the Monday blues). The Blues is a famous music genre that
originated in the deep south and is characterized by mellow sounds.

Blue is a well-loved color with many healing and comforting properties.

Note: Too much blue can make people feel rigid. Blue is a good color to
include in moderation.

The blue of the rainbow represents the following:

calm

communication
knowledge
peace

6. Indigo

Indigo is the most disputed color in the rainbow.

For years, scientists and weather hobbyists have argued whether indigo
belongs on the list at all since it’s hard to distinguish. Is indigo truly
deserving of its own place, or are people simply seeing blue and violet?

Along the same lines, people have long tried to answer this question:
Is indigo blue or purple? The answer: it’s both. (Although, if you want to
get more specific, indigo is three-quarters blue and one-quarter purple.)

A mix of purple and blue, indigo is the color of the midnight sky. Because of
this, indigo encourages individuals to think more deeply about life and has
strong connections to spiritualism and inward thinking.

It also represents mystery.

Like other colors in the rainbow, it’s important not to go overboard with
indigo. Too much indigo results in a person feeling intolerant, judgmental,
and avoidant. Too much inward thinking can result in frustration or angst.
Used in moderation, however, indigo can be very useful.

The indigo of the rainbow represents the following:

awareness
intuition
spiritual attainment
wisdom

7. Violet

Violet is one of the most loved colors of the rainbow. And with good reason.

Whereas red has the longest wavelength in the rainbow, violet has the
shortest. Located on the opposite end of the rainbow from red, violet is the
most subtle color of all. But do not mistake subtlety for weakness. Violet
has its own unique superpowers.

People who are around the color violet report feeling more empathetic and
kind, for example. Violet is also associated with individuality and
selflessness.

Created from red and blue, violet is a lighter shade of the color purple and
therefore shares some of the same meaning.

The violet of the rainbow represents the following:

creativity
imagination
luxury
mystery
royalty

The Bible and the Colors of the Rainbow

We cannot talk about the significance of the colors of the rainbow without
mentioning the Bible. It is believed that the “rainbow is a sign from the
Almighty that we are not forgotten.” It is mentioned in the story of Noah’s
Ark; after God appeared before Noah following the flood, there was a
beautiful rainbow in the sky signifying His Glory and Power as well as His
Covenant.

In the Bible, the rainbow is mentioned in The Book of Genesis, The Book of
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