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Iris

Wikipedia

English

Etymology

From Middle English, from Latin, from Ancient Greek ἶρις (iris), “‘rainbow’”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: ī'rĭs, IPA: /aɪrɪs/, SAMPA: /aIrIs/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

Noun

A plant of the genus, Iris.

Illustration showing parts of the human eye, including the iris.

iris (plural irises or iris or irides) (See Usage notes)

1. (botany) A plant of the genus Iris, common in the northern hemisphere, and generally having attractive blooms.
2. (anatomy) The contractile membrane perforated by the pupil, which adjusts to control the amount of light reaching the retina, and which forms the colored portion of the eye.
3. (photography, cinematography) A diaphragm used to regulate the size of a hole, especially as a way of controlling the amount of light reaching a lens.
4. (poetic) A rainbow, or other colourful refraction of light.

Translations

Derived terms

• iridal
• iridial
• iridian
• iridium
• iridocyclitis
• iridology
• Iris (proper name)
• iritis

Usage notes

For the part of the eye, the usual medical plural is irides.
For the flower both iris and irises are in common use.

Quotations

plural iris

• 1989, Ann Lovejoy, The Year in Bloom [1]

  Is there anything more spectacular than the bearded iris in their short season?

• 1996, Katherine Grace Endicott, Northern California Gardening [2]

  Tall bearded iris are in bloom now.

• 2004, Diana Beresford-Kroeger, A Garden for Life [3]

  The bulbous iris are important because their early flowers provide a food source for bees and early flying insects.

plural irides

• 1843, The Penny Cyclopaedia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge

  In colour the irides are straw-yellow, the pupils black; forehead, nape, and back, very dark bluish-black; [...]

• 1989, Robert S Ridgely, The Birds of South America [4]

  As in the caciques, bills are sharply pointed and pale, while irides are usually pale blue.

• 2001, John V Forrester et al., The Eye [5]

  Later in life brown irides are the result of heavily pigmented melanocytes within the stroma.

plural irises

• 1987, Pamela Harper, Frederick McGourty, Perennials [6]

  Tall bearded irises are easy to grow but not always easy to grow well.

• 2000, Kevin C Voughn, Louisiana Iris [7]

  Most iris lovers feel that Louisiana irises are now large enough.

• 2002, John E Bryan, Bulbs [8]

  All these irises are sold as dry, dormant bulbs in fall.

See also

• Wikipedia article on the plant
• Wikipedia article on the part of the eye

Esperanto

Verb form

iris (past tense of iri)

1. went

French

Pronunciation

•  Audio^{help, file}

Noun

iris m. (plural iris)

1. iris

Indonesian

Noun

iris

1. slice

Verb

mengiris

1. to slice

Italian

Noun

iris m. or f. inv.

1. iris (flower)

Synonyms

• giaggiolo, iride

Anagrams

• Anagrams of iirs
• risi

Spanish

Noun

iris m. (plural irises)

1. (anatomy) iris

Derived terms

• arco iris