iris
rɪs noun
1.
Anatomy. the contractile, circular diaphragm forming the colored portion of the eye and containing a circular opening, the pupil, in its center. See diag. under eye.
2.
Botany. any plant of the genus Iris, having showy flowers and sword-shaped leaves. Compare iris family.
3.
a flower of this plant.
4.
( initial capital letter ) Classical Mythology. a messenger of the gods, regarded as the goddess of the rainbow.
5.
a rainbow.
6.
any appearance resembling a rainbow.
7.
Movies, Television. an iris-in or iris-out.
8.
Optics, Photography, iris diaphragm.
verb (used without object)
9.
Movies. to begin or end a take or scene with an iris-in or iris-out, achieved by manipulation of an iris diaphragm on the camera or by editing the film.
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Iris
is always a great word to know.
So is sweat gland. Does it mean:
| one of the minute, coiled, tubular glands of the skin that secrete sweat |
| either one of the second pair of cranial nerves, consisting of sensory fibers that conduct impulses from the retina to the brain |
Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin Īris, īris < Greek Îris, îris rainbow, goddess of the rainbow, halo, iris flower or root, iridescent crystal; in some senses < Neo-Latin < Greek: diaphragm of eye
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin Īris, īris < Greek Îris, îris rainbow, goddess of the rainbow, halo, iris flower or root, iridescent crystal; in some senses < Neo-Latin < Greek: diaphragm of eye
Dictionary.com Unabridged
noun
a female given name.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To Iris
Collins
World English Dictionary
iris (ˈaɪrɪs) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n , pl irises, irides | |
| 1. | the coloured muscular diaphragm that surrounds and controls the size of the pupil |
| 2. | flag orris See also stinking iris Also called: fleur-de-lys any plant of the iridaceous genus Iris, having brightly coloured flowers composed of three petals and three drooping sepals |
| 3. | Also called: rainbow quartz a form of quartz that reflects light polychromatically from internal fractures |
| 4. | a rare or poetic word for rainbow |
| 5. | something resembling a rainbow; iridescence |
| 6. | short for iris diaphragm |
| [C14: from Latin: rainbow, iris (flower), crystal, from Greek] | |
| Iris (ˈaɪrɪs) | |
| —n | |
| the goddess of the rainbow along which she travelled to earth as a messenger of the gods | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
iris
late 14c., "prismatic rock crystal," from L. iris (pl. irides) "iris of the eye, iris plant, rainbow," from Gk. iris (gen. iridos) "a lily, iris of the eye," originally "messenger of the gods," personified as the rainbow. The eye region was so called (1520s in English) for being the colored part.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
iris i·ris (ī'rĭs)
n. pl. i·ris·es or i·ri·des (ī'rĭ-dēz', ĭr'ĭ-)
The round pigmented contractile membrane of the eye that is perforated in the center by the pupil, forms the front part of the vascular tunic, and is attached on the margin to the ciliary body.
i'ri·dal (ī'rĭ-dl, ĭr'ĭ-) or i·rid'i·al (ī-rĭd'ē-əl, ĭ-rĭd'-) or i·rid'i·an adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
iris  (ī'rĭs) Pronunciation Key
Plural irises or irides (ī'rĭ-dēz', ĭr'ĭ-) The colored, muscular ring around the pupil of the eye in vertebrate animals, located between the cornea and lens. Contraction and expansion of the iris controls the size of the pupil, thereby regulating the amount of light reaching the retina. |
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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FOLDOC
Computing Dictionary
IRIS definition
bodyInstitute for Research in Information and Scholarship of Brown University (Providence RI).
(1994-11-04)
American Heritage
Abbreviations & Acronyms
| IRIS Integrated Risk Information System |
The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia
iris
in Greek mythology, the personification of the rainbow and (in Homer's Iliad, for example) a messenger of the gods. According to the Greek poet Hesiod, she was the daughter of Thaumas and the ocean nymph Electra. In Hesiod's works, at least, she had the additional duty of carrying water from the River Styx in a ewer whenever the gods had to take a solemn oath. The water would render unconscious for one year any god or goddess who lied. In art, Iris was normally portrayed with wings, and her attributes were the herald's staff and a vase. She was shown serving wine to the gods or escorting them to the wedding of Peleus and Thetis.
Learn more about Iris with a free trial on Britannica.com.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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Nearby Words
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