Holographic Vs. Iridescent: When To Use Each One?

If you are into photography and art, you probably have heard of or used the words “holographic” and “iridescent.” However, do you know their difference and when you should use each word? If you do not, then worry not because a discussion on holographic vs. iridescent will reveal everything you have ever wanted to know about these words.

Holographic means “related to holograms or holography.” A hologram is photographic footage of a light field that exhibits a 3D image. In contrast, iridescent refers to the gradual change of colors when observing a surface from various angles or “producing a display of lustrous and prismatic colors.”

Holographic and iridescent are commonly confused because they define different variations of light illumination. However, they do not have the same meaning. Please read the rest of this post to the end to understand both words independently and how they compare.

Definitions Of Holographic And Iridescent

By looking at these words, you can tell they are different because of their spellings and pronunciations. However, confusion usually comes in because of their definitions and applications. So, starting this comparison by exploring their definitions would be quite fair. Here are the definitions and comparisons between these two words:

Definition Of Holographic

Holographic means “related to holograms” or “produced using holograms.” So to understand this word further, defining “hologram” comes in handy.

A hologram is a pattern produced on a photosensitive medium exposed by holography and developed photographically. In simpler terms, a hologram is a 3D image created through holography.

Therefore, holographic is the adjective form of holograph or hologram. For example, in a sentence, “The holographic representation shook the competitors and blew them off the park.”

Another meaning for holographic is “something or a document written wholly in the handwriting of the person whose signature it features.” For example, in a sentence, “The holographic will change how the family viewed its belated patron.”

Also, holographic refers to a handwritten document produced by a single writer. For example, in a sentence, “The holographic testimony changed the entire case’s course when the lawyer presented it to the jury.”

The first recorded use of the word “holographic” was in 1960. The users translated it from the 1620s Late Latin word “holographus” and from Greek “holographos.” Its first application featured the meaning “written entirely by hand.” However, its application in Physics and photography came about in the late 1960s.

Definition Of Iridescent

Iridescent refers to the gradual change of colors displayed on a surface when you observe them at different angles. That tells you that “iridescent” is a principle of color shifting.

For instance, when you blow soap bubbles and stare at them at different angles, you will notice a shift in rainbow-like colors as you switch angles. This is the perfect example of “iridescent.” In a sentence, “Butterfly wings and oil spills provide the perfect examples of iridescent color shifting.”

Another definition for iridescent is “brilliant or lustrous effect or appearance.” For instance, in a sentence, “The rainbow had an iridescent appearance this morning.”

Many people also use this word to refer to something with rainbow-like colors. Perhaps this is because of the word’s origin. According to multiple sources, this word comes from the 1784 Latin word “iris,” meaning “rainbow.” A sentence example is “An abalone shell is a perfect example of iridescent display.”

How To Properly Use Holographic And Iridescent In A Sentence

The words “iridescent” and “holographic” are not as complex as they appear at first glance. So after learning their definitions, you can easily use them in sentences. However, if you are still learning English, you may experience some trouble applying these words in sentences because of the part of speech they belong to. Here are a few things you should know to help you use these words in sentences:

How And When To Use Holographic

Use the word “holographic” when referring to something related to holograms or produced by holography. For example, “The museum displayed a holographic representation of the archived documents on the nature of human existence.”

Additionally, refer to this word when referring to a “fully handwritten document.” For example, “Mr. Simons left behind a holographic will after his death.”

You must bear in mind that this word is an adjective. An adjective tells you how much, how many times, or how something happened or appears. Therefore, “holographic,” tells you how something was created or presented. For example, “The students delivered their holographic representations before the board.”

How And When To Use Iridescent

Use this word to describe something with “rainbow-like color interplays.” For example, “The oil spill produced a beautiful iridescent view.”

You can also use this term to describe a brilliant or colorful effect. For example, “The soap bubbles produced an iridescent display.” Also, use this word to refer to something with rainbow-like colors.” For example, “Maria attended the party in an iridescent dress.”

Like the word holographic, iridescent is also an adjective. Therefore, you can use it in sentences to modify or explain more about your verb, noun, or other adjectives. For example, “James stared at the iridescent display on the window for over half an hour then went home and sketched it.” In this sentence, “iridescent” gives more insight into the noun “display.”

List Of Examples Of Use Of Holographic And Iridescent In Sentences

After reading the above sections, can you write sentences using the words “holographic” and “iridescent?” If you took more than a few seconds to answer this question, the following section is for you. Here are some examples to provide you with more insight into how you can use these words in sentences;

Example sentences of holographic

1. At one point, the troubled scientist created a holographic family and told all his friends that he was married with kids.
2. The latest marketing trend is holographic business logos.
3. The holographic displays of the band all over the city helped their marketing team achieve massive success.
4. The fourth graders could not stop talking about the holographic images they saw during their field trip.
5. Mark created a holographic display of his artwork because he could not attend the show after contracting COVID 19.

Example sentences of iridescent

1. I love staring at the cream-colored siding outside my house in the moonlight because it produces an iridescent display.
2. The butterflies at the park caught my attention because of the brilliance of their iridescent wings.
3. The Madame X store placed the iridescent dress at the window front as an eye-catcher.
4. My child is perplexed by the iridescent soap bubbles from his favorite toy; he won’t set it down.
5. My favorite part of the art show in Millan was the iridescent floors that brought the room to life.
6. I am sick of the grayscale color palette in my office, I want something more iridescent.

The Difference Between Holographic And Iridescent

Holographic refers to something related to holograms or produced by holography. In contrast, iridescent refers to the slow shift in colors when you observe a surface from various angles.

Another difference between these words is that iridescent is a natural phenomenon, while holographic is artificial. For instance, you will notice the iridescent color shift when you look at an oil spill from different angles. However, holographic effects are only available through holography, a physics phenomenon.

Conclusion

Holographic and iridescent are pretty interesting words to study. However, before using them in sentences, you should master their meanings, so you do not fool yourself by making mistakes you could have avoided. So, you can make them part of your new vocabulary calendar and learn more about them. Before then, please share with those around you the most intriguing thing this post has taught you.