[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

iris \i"ris\, n.; pl. e. irises, l. irides. l. iris,
   iridis, the goddess, gr. ?, ?, the rainbow, iris of the eye,
   the plant iris. cf. orris.
   1. class. myth. the goddess of the rainbow, and
      swift-footed messenger of the gods. --shak.
      1913 webster

   2. the rainbow. --sir t. browne.
      1913 webster

   3. an appearance resembling the rainbow; a prismatic play of
      colors. --tennyson.
      1913 webster

   4. anat. the contractile membrane perforated by the pupil,
      and forming the colored portion of the eye. see eye.
      1913 webster

   5. bot. a genus of plants having showy flowers and bulbous
      or tuberous roots, of which the flower-de-luce
      fleur-de-lis, orris, and other species of flag are
      examples. see illust. of flower-de-luce.
      1913 webster

   6. her. see fleur-de-lis, 2.
      1913 webster

   7. zool. the inner circle of an oscillated color spot.
      webster 1913 suppl.

   8. same as iris diaphragm.
      pjc
see also:
irises irides orris eye flower-de-luce fleur-de-lis 
iris diaphragm 

Irises >> I Words
Irises, definition of term: Irises
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